Break-ins are a risk over Easter: Tips to protect your property

Easter is prime time for break-ins when compared to other weekends as “criminals are doing golden egg hunts of their own”, according to an insurance company’s data. 

Staff, gate motors and businesses are targeted, said Auto & General Insurance, which has urged South Africans to be vigilant. 

“One’s biggest enemy is the notion that ‘it cannot happen to me'. It can if you let your guard down,” said Ricardo Coetzee, head of Auto & General Insurance. 

Data has shown that in 2019 break-in claims during Easter increased by 96% compared with a normal weekend. “In 2020, during the Covid-19 hard lockdown, Easter claims were down by 7%, but 2021 saw a huge increase of 89%. This confirms that Easter is prime time for criminals to cash in.”

Many of these crimes are meticulously planned, but criminals will strike at any opportunity. “So it’s imperative for South Africans to be aware of trends, take proactive steps to protect themselves as best they can and be prepared to react,” it said.

A report by Fidelity ADT revealed four new invasion trends:

• criminals often use staff — by manipulation or force — to gain access to premises;
• gate motors are a prime target;
• most home invasions take place during the day; and
• business robberies are on the rise, mostly in Gauteng and between 6pm and 9pm.

Auto & General and Fidelity ADT agree that it’s important for home and business owners to have a layered approach to security and not rely on a single measure. 

They offer the following tips for choosing the right hardware and making  your family and colleagues’ safety a top priority:

What to invest in:

• A sturdy perimeter wall or palisade fence offers privacy and acts as the first defence.
• Secure and sturdy access gates and doors. Ideally, these should be operated remotely and opened and closed quickly. Ensure that gates can’t be lifted off their rails with a crowbar and that gate motors are well hidden, properly protected, can’t be accessed easily and have electronic alert systems that notify you should the unit be tampered with.
• An electric fence offers an extra security barrier and serves as a deterrent to criminals. 
• Security beams around and inside your home or business should be set up in such a way that different zones can be activated as needed so that criminals can’t dodge them. 
• An alarm system linked to a reputable armed response company, including a panic button.
• Burglar bars on windows and security gates on all doors made of rigid materials and fixed in such a way that they can’t be easily bypassed, broken or pried open. 
• Slam-lock security gates that can be slammed shut in an instant are a good investment.
• A clean area. Identify possible hiding places and clear them. 
• Cut away tree branches and remove objects such as garden tools that could be used as leverage for getting into the property.
• CCTV systems are becoming more affordable and offer an easy way for you to keep an eye on your property.  

Preventive advice for your family or colleagues:

• On the same page: Everyone in your household or workplace should be briefed on good security practise, know which security measures are in place and how to use them.
• Appointments and screening: If possible, insist on visitors making appointments. Before opening the door or gate for anyone, or going outside to assist them, they should be screened. If you own a business, it’s wise to have someone specifically dedicated to this role.
• Eye on impostors: If someone claims to be from the council, a sales agent, a repair technician, a surveyor, a friend of someone you know or work with or even a potential client, trust nobody. Verify their details.
• Connected: Everyone should have emergency numbers — of the police, community protection forum, security company and emergency services — saved on their phones. It’s also good to have the number of trusted neighbours so that you can alert each other when something is amiss.
• Call the pros: Make sure to call in the help of a security expert to do a risk assessment, especially if you own a business. They can help you identify and address weak spots.

Coetzee said it is important to have adequate home and business insurance in place in case things go awry so that you can be up and running again in no time.

 “Taking these steps may take some time and cost some capital investment, but the lives of your loved ones and co-workers, as well as the possessions and cash you’ve worked hard for are worth it.”

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