In an endeavour to provide residents with practical information to deal more effectively with crime, we have added more information.

To make it easier to find information, the various topics are listed below. Just click on the page or pages that are of interest.

1. An overview of crime, safety and security and the CRA’s priorities in helping the community to deal with crime
2. About SAPS Parkview / contact information
3. About the Public Spaces Security Scheme (PSS) with CSS Tactical
4. How to subscribe to the PSS Scheme - all you need to do is complete the debit order form.
5. Safety tips - General
6. Safety tips - Hi-jacking
7. Safety tips - For women
8. Burglary empowerment strategies (with thanks to Francois Marais)

Food for thought… research findings of Unisa academic

• House robberies have increased by 13,5% in the past year.
• Of the almost 15000 residential robberies committed last year, 50% took place in Gauteng.
• The average age of a house robber is 19 to 26 years.
• An average of 30% of all house robbers have committed murder or are willing to commit murder.
• 17% of house robbers are foreigners.
• 90% of arrested robbers had no matric or were unemployed.
• The 10% who were employed gave up their jobs when confirming how much they could make from a robbery.
• Most victims/targets are affluent people who openly display their wealth, i.e. expensive cars, jewellery, upmarket homes.
• Eight out of 10 residential robberies are committed with the help of information from maids, gardeners and former employees.
• Robbers will monitor the home for as long as two weeks.
• Gangs research armed response firms‘ response times.
• Most attacks occur between 7pm and midnight as people are relaxed, cooking or watching TV.
• The biggest deterrent confirmed by robbers themselves are small dogs kept inside the home.
• Alarm systems and armed reaction services are not a deterrent.
• Electric fences, CCTV and detection beams do deter robbers.
• Victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents.
• 35% of robbers robbed for basic needs (hunger, poverty), while 65% enjoyed the money and spent it on clothes, cars and houses.
• The average robber commits 103 robberies over seven years before being caught.
• 97% of robbers are armed.
• Women are more often tortured or hurt during robberies.
• On average an armed robbery gang has four members.
• The conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is 7,67%; in the USA it is 53%.

• Submit: Robbers expect submission when they point their firearm at you. Make no sudden movements and keep your hands where they can be seen at all times. Pleading for your life shows you have submitted and will not try to resist. Only raise your hands if you have been told to do so. Some robbers prefer you to remain still, in the position in which you were when first confronted .
• Obedience: Listen carefully to the robbers‘ instructions and do precisely as ordered. This, together with making no sudden movements, not reaching for a weapon or panic button, showing no resistance and making no noise, are the critical factors determining whether or not you and your family will remain unharmed.
• Make no noise: Do not scream. Most house robberies happen when people are at home and awake. This implies that the neighbours will be too. The robbers do not want anyone alerted.
• Self-control: Remain still while they search you and speak when spoken to. Do not try to speak to others in the house with you – particularly not covertly.
• Do not make eye contact: Especially if the robbers are not disguised. If you are instructed to lie down or “sleep”, do so and do not look at them, as some robbers will kill rather than risk being identified.
• Show them where your valuables are: Refusing to divulge where valuables are kept in the house was the single most common reason given for victims being assaulted or tortured during a robbery.

More food for thought…

From Antony Altbeker’s book, The dirty work of democracy: a year on the streets with the SAPS
People with no esteem think they have nothing to lose… “I am poor and unemployed. I live in a shack. I have nothing. I own nothing. What is there to stop me doing wrong things? What will I lose if I go to jail or I die?”… They hate people who are happy. They are jealous… it makes everything bitter. These are the people who kill.