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There is a bad guy who lives in our neighbourhood. In the interest of anonymity, let’s call him Chucky. I first saw Chucky about 3 months ago while I was waiting at a red light. My lane was the right turn lane to get onto the highway. This matte black (looks like it was painted with a roller and a can of double velvet) double cab truck with very dark tinted windows came racing down the left lane, cut right in front of the person in the front and went through the red light. He had an armed response sticker on the side of his truck, which at that point could possibly have explain the haste. But once I got onto the highway, I passed the black truck, who had slowed down considerably and seemed to be in no particular hurry.

After some “enquiries” I found out his name and address and that he is a well known drug dealer in our area. The number plates on Chucky’s truck are false and he uses that truck as a place for young girls in the neighbourhood to hide in while they get high, among other things. Armed response stickers – what a great idea for a cover. It allows Chucky to park his car for long periods of time without anyone getting suspicious. At the moment, he deals mostly from the parking lot outside Pick ‘n Pay and from the train station. He often has drug parties at his house and seems to relocate quite a bit but has recently moved back into a house where he previously resided , I believe that it is his mom’s house.

I am sure that Chucky, just like many other bad guys around think that they are invisible, well newsflash Chucky; we are watching you.

Up to 50% of house robbers and burglars base their crimes on intelligence information received from someone you employ. This varies from area to area but is on the rise. Quite often the information is relayed innocently by your domestic or gardener. Criminals walk around the areas they are targeting and watch your workers. They hop onto the local taxi with your employee and over time make friends with them.

The conversation will go something like this:
Criminal: “My employer is so mean, she paid me late again today. I work hard for my money and she can’t be bothered to pay me on time.”

Your employee: “I am lucky, mine always pays me on time” OR “Mine often pays me late, it’s not fair, and she has so much money.”

Criminal: “My employer just bought a new flat-screen TV. She threw her old TV away; she could have given it to me instead. She has so many nice things.”
Your Employee: “My employer has two flat-screen TV’s, 2 laptops and an iPad and both children have iPhones. She also has a safe with lots of expensive jewellery and I think they have a gun.” (This is exactly the information that the criminal is looking for.)

Many employees are conned into giving away the information about your home or business without realizing it. Quite a few will also provide your information for money and others because you are simply not a very pleasant person to work for.

Think about the things that would make a difference to you if you had limited skills/opportunities and worked for YOU. What would you do differently?

There are several ways you can lower your risk in this area,

Show your employee that you value them. Start with the simple things like paying them on time, paying them for public holidays and donating old clothes and items to them and their family.
Educate them about safety with regards to your home and talk to them about how criminals may try to get information from them. Explain to your employee what you would like them to say if they get into a situation… and role play the scenario. This seems silly but it really helps employees to understand and to give them the tools to deal with these situations.
Go the extra mile for them. Provide things that other employers usually don’t think of like funeral benefits, hospital plans, and retirement plans etc. There are several companies who offer very reasonably prices benefits that you could sign them up for. Think about splitting the cost with your employee/s.
Most domestic employees don’t have the benefit of the internet and will really appreciate it if you did a little research on things that would make their lives easier and add more stability. If you help your employee/s value you as an employer and you educate them about helping you, it reduces the risk of your family being a victim of crime through inside information.

Remember safety is not something you do once and forget about, it is something you should think about every day.

The other day on my way to a meeting, as I was pulling into my parking (there were a few around), this lady came driving into the parking lot and without much ado… pulled into the space which is SUPPOSED to be reserved to people who are movement impaired AND have a sticker stating this fact. She exited her car and without so much as a limp or a wobble, strolled to her apparent appointment with no regard for the sign or the reason for the sign.

All I can say to this lazy lady, and others who use these reserved parking spaces, is that I sincerely hope that you never legitimately need that parking space and if you do, that someone like you doesn’t take your spot.

This Peoples Post article details a new tactic being used by criminals to commit robberies. It is concerning because even if your family is safe inside with the alarm on, the criminals can get in without the armed response being alerted. This is a combination crime consisting of a hijacking and a home invasion robbery and is becoming increasingly frequent. Anyone can be the target, including mothers with children, or even older children returning to your home, and it can happen at any time of the day. So why have criminals turned to this form of robbery as opposed to the more traditional burglary and what can we do to protect ourselves?

Criminals like easy, and these days burglary is considerably more difficult and high risk as most people have monitored alarms and armed response, not to mention burglar bars and dogs etc. Not only do they need to overcome these security measures, but when we are not at home neither are our valuables.

How much easier would it be if they got you to take them into the house, turning off any alarm, and showing them where the valuables are. They can even pack what they wish to take into your vehicle and use it as a getaway .

We are however not powerless; you just need to use the tools at your disposal correctly and efficiently.

So, what can one do?

If you come home late at night, make use of the service most armed response companies offer to meet you at your home.
Know how to use your alarm, specifically the use of the duress functions as this situation is exactly what it was designed for.
Take the time to understand how the crime happens and plan what you will do if it happens to you. Preparation is key – you cannot make it up on the fly.
Talk to your family about this – any one of them could be the victim.

I have often wondered how effective the “smash proof” film on a car window really is. Last week while walking along Boyes Drive (between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay), I came across a car (which incidentally looked exactly like mine ) that seems to have passed the smash test with flying colours.

With Cape Chat turning 4 this month, Alice and Kate wanted to do something meaningful for Cape Chat’s team-building and strategy day and had the awesome opportunity to work with Kelee Arrowsmith from ACT Personal Safety. The one-day Safety Workshop, held at team member Margolite’s home, gave the team a real work out and heads up on Safety! Here are the team’s comments and some rather ‘revealing’ shots of the team members in action:

Liz Calvert: The self-defense course taught me to plan my strategy for any attack or burglary and that I can find a safe place to HIDE. Locking myself in my bathroom to call for help, while being burgled, had NEVER entered my mind. What a novel idea! No confrontation, I am safe and I get rescued! I learnt awareness, how to wise-up so not to be a victim in the first place, and therefore raising my confidence to be safe and generate my own safety wherever I am and whatever I am doing! (I also loved stabbing a bottle with a knife as it got out a lot of anger!)

Lynette Assad: The course was totally different! Kelee brought a strong reality check home. I’m more vigilant about my surroundings when I’m in my car at the traffic lights.

Georgie Wheeler: I loved how interactive the course was and I think the idea of having a ‘safe room’ in your home is really important – as well as ensuring your home is as safe as possible by following the steps that Kelee provided.

Rupert Jefferies: I never quite realized how threatening someone with a rubber knife and a loud voice, let alone real weapons, could be! I also found it interesting how the emphasis was not on attack but rather creating space and having an “escape” plan in place, thereby ensuring the safety of yourself and your family at all times.

Kate Bester: Planning, planning, planning! Planning your safety is the key thing I came away with. It was really empowering!

Alice Pohl: I’m passionate about preventing crime and developing skills around how to be prepared for this (unfortunately) all-too-predictable eventuality and we chose to do a Safety Workshop to empower ourselves and those close to us. WOW, we got so much out of the course and Kelee made learning about safety interactive and fun.

Lorryn Currie: The workshop really brought out the real world. It made me scared of reality, but in a good way!

Cathy Quickfall: Hmmm… a very necessary look at how unaware some of us are. It pays to be aware.

Margolite Williams: The workshop taught me to be more aware of my surroundings and not to be so casual with my security procedures, e.g. closing my sliding gate before I get out of the car! I felt quite alarmed by what she had to say about crime. I realize one needs to be aware and sensitive and alert, but not to the degree that it makes you become too negative about life. I can’t bear the thought of living in fear all the time. Protect yourself as much as possible and be prepared, but don’t give in to the fear factor…

Kelee Arrowsmith from ACT Personal Safety runs home-based and corporate workshops. She can also tailor-make a safety workshop based on your industry (e.g.: for estate agents, B&B owners etc.). Email Kelee at info@advancedconflict.com or call her on 083 626 2888 for more information.