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As a modern woman, I can’t think of much worse than having my phone nabbed off me by some opportunistic mugger. But this revelation begs the question: are phones really the hottest item for SA’s local criminals? According to new information released by nationally trusted security firm ADT, the items that we should be guarding from criminals are more unexpected than you’d guess.

Firstly, ADT pinpointed gas bottles as hot commodities for thieves. The security group has seen a notable rise, especially over the past week, in unscrupulous characters hopping fences in order to jep canisters. Apparently, size is not an issue either – even those of us with one measly nine-kilogram powering the stove should be wary. Ballito and Stanger, specifically Glen Hills, saw this phenomenon surge this month, and residents are encouraging others to keep a closer eye on their gas power, particularly if the bottle sits in an open yard.

Next up on the most desirable item list for these petty criminals is your gate motor. If you think back to how much it cost to install the contraption in the first place, this one becomes a real hum-dinger. And while it may be easier these days to track a stolen iPhone or laptop, these so-called “access automation bandits” make sure that stolen gate motors are virtually untraceable.

The motor is broken down into parts until the mechanism is indistinguishable, including down to the battery which fetches a pretty price on the black market. The most worrying part, according to ADT, is that these guys know how to deactivate your gate so they can slide in unnoticed.

Once the thieves have jimmied the electric gate open, the situation becomes a veritable free-for-all. Often gate motor theft will coincide with the nicking of gas bottles and other items found in the yard.

According to ADT, another aspect of this popular criminal move is to take car tyres and rims once they’ve gained access to the property. While this may seem like general run-of-the-mill SA crime, ADT has pointed out that the data points to a definite trend.

“This is not a random act. We urge all residents not to become complacent about their perimeter security. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and not to leave anything to chance. If you see anything suspicious in or around your neighbourhood, report it immediately to your private security company and local SAPS.”

Backing up ADT’s call for greater vigilance around home theft, are the SAPS statistics showing that the last quarter saw an increase in residential burglaries by a whopping 6.8%. The latest information has confirmed SA’s fears – break-ins and robberies are indeed on the rise.

While it’s easy to slip into doom and gloom when recognising this reality, thank goodness there are groups like ADT who are committed to arming regular South Africans with information to protect themselves… And their precious gas canisters.

[source:businesstech]