Data captured at police stations across the country recorded 34,075 cases of home burglaries between April to June 2024 – roughly 379 incidents a day. – Business Tech, 2 September 2024.
It’s a sad reality of living in South Africa that, chances are, you will experience being the victim of housebreaking at least once in your lifetime. All of us know someone who has come home to find their television missing from their living room. In fact, Statistics South Africa “identified housebreaking as the most prevalent crime experienced by residents in South Africa”, according to their The Victims of Crime 2023/2024 report.
It is also a well-established fact that a correlation exists between incidences of housebreaking and renovations, construction, or other home improvement projects being done in the area. It is a reality that contractors often make use of mostly unskilled labourers from less privileged communities. While these unskilled labourers provide cheap labour, they are often desperate for cash and very likely to be tempted by the possessions they see in and around the houses they are hired to work on.
Desperation could lead to criminality
Construction and home improvement creates opportunities for criminal activity. These include, but are not limited to:
- The fact that these employment opportunities are often “casual” jobs, with employers not requiring their labourers to sign contracts or provide proof of identification.
- Being present on a job site all day gives labourers ample time to observe their “mark” and memorise their routines.
- Labourers can easily stay behind undetected on a construction site and emerge at a more opportune time to commit a crime.
- Sometimes labourers have access to tools and materials that could facilitate housebreaking.
- Labourers that work inside a house, like assistants to electricians or plumbers, for instance, have ample time to memorise the layout of the house. This makes it easier to figure out which windows are left open or how to disarm alarms.
How to protect your family and your home
We all know that despite our best efforts to protect our property, housebreakers often still find their way in. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that they possess the element of surprise. A home owner cannot anticipate when someone will try to rob them. However, it is prudent to expect that, when there is construction happening at your neighbour’s property, chances are that the labourers are observing your property and your routine.
Measures to protect against housebreak
- Talk to your neighbours
If you are planning to have construction work done on your property, inform your neighbours so they can take measures to amp up their security. But also, try to not be offended if they question the legitimacy of the contractor you’ve chosen, or ask for proof that the labourers have been vetted and properly registered. - Check for legitimacy
In the same vein, if your neighbour is renovating, or building, you might want to do due diligence and familiarise yourself with the construction company they have hired. Are they registered with the relevant council? What are their hiring practices? Do they thoroughly document and keep track of their labourers? - Be vigilant and report suspicious activity
Should you notice anything suspicious, like labourers lingering in areas that do not form part of the construction site, or feeling like you are being watched, do not ignore this. Report your concerns to the contractor, the neighbourhood watch, and if things get worse, to the authorities. - Secure your property
Take extra care to lock door and windows, arm alarms that you occasionally forget to arm, and keep your dog inside the house to act as an additional alarm. Also take some time to look at your property from the potential burglar’s point of view to help you identify potential weaknesses in your security measures.
- Keep personal information private
Do not loudly announce your movements, like when you will be away from home, either for a coffee date or an extended vacation. Refrain from calling your pets loudly if their names are used as passwords to your security systems, etc.
It is unfortunate that due to high rates of unemployment and widespread poverty, crime remains rampant in our beautiful country. Onrus, Vermont, and the greater Hermanus might appear idyllic and tranquil by day, but crime is ever present here in our midst. Be vigilant, secure your property and your family, even if it means having to ask difficult questions of the people you chose to employ.
If you would like security advice, or have some tips of your own to share, get in touch with us on 079 419 9276, theowl@onverwag.org.za, or via the contact form on our website.