Brackenfell residents are being urged to heighten security measures following a spate of break-ins across the area this week, with criminals employing a new method of entry that involves lifting gates from their rails.
Several incidents have been reported in recent days, including a break-in on Harvest Street in Protea Village where tools were stolen from a garage on Wednesday night.
On Stasie Street, three separate incidents occurred, beginning with an attempted break-in on Monday night where a gate was removed from its rail, though nothing was reported stolen.
Two nights later, criminals gained entry over a gate to access a garage on the same street, making off with fishing gear and other items. Additional break-ins were reported on Stasie Street on Thursday night, with further details pending.
Security experts warn of gate-lifting trend
The gate-lifting method is not confined to Brackenfell, with a similar incident reported on Short Street in Kraaifontein on the same evening. Security officials note that criminals are specifically targeting the lifting mechanism of gates as a means of bypassing traditional security measures.
According to local security firm CMAX, residents can contact security companies to install brackets that prevent gates from being lifted from their rails.
These guys are all dressed in black and we do not know if they carry any form of weapons.
“A dog is there to alert you when they hear something. Don’t exit your home unless you are sure no one is inside your yard. These guys are all dressed in black and we do not know if they carry any form of weapons,” says Carla Lourens from CMAX.
Lourens emphasises that dogs serve as an early warning system and advise homeowners against leaving their properties unless certain no intruders remain in their gardens.
She advises the community to report all break-ins on community groups to keep neighbours informed of criminal activity in the area and to add neighbours to local security communication groups. Local security services continue to monitor the situation as investigations into the incidents proceed.
