By Obakeng Maje
North West- Police are concerned about escalating reported cases of business and house robberies. 

“It is important that hands-on approach is applied to curb this kind of crime.  It is also imperative that security is beefed up and that the community work with the police to effectively and proactively address the challenge. Business owners and the broader community are advised to take heed apply the following safety hints” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said. 

❖  Be on alert as crime can occur any time. ❖  Close their businesses on time❖  Where possible, employ security officials to guard their premises❖  Identify possible hiding places outside and around their places.❖  Know full details of your gardeners and domestic workers❖  Report suspicious people who roam around as they could be monitoring your home or businesses.❖  Make sure all shrubs and trees are trimmed so that they do not obstruct the view.

Mokgwabone said it has also been noted that stolen serial numbered properties are not circulated in the SAPS system as complainants, upon opening cases they do not provide serial numbers. 

“This poses a serious challenge to SAPS and creates a market as well as possible circulation of such properties from one person to the other without being identified.In such situations, it also becomes difficult for the police to identify owners when such goods are recovered” he said.

The community is therefore advised to create and keep safe a register where they will record serial numbers of their properties. This will enable them to provide serial number of a particular item to the police when they register cases, thus allowing the police to circulate it immediately as stolen.-TDN
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