Page 12 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 11 2022

Precicnt Living

HOLIDAY

SECURITY

TIPS

The Festive Season is well known for an escalation in a variety

of crimes. To ensure you have the best holiday yet, take all the

necessary precautions to avoid becoming a victim of crime.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE ON stay on when the power is out. IF YOU’RE STAYING IN A
YOUR HOLIDAY • Make an arrangement for someone to HOTEL
• If you have arranged for a house sitter clear away pamphlets, and suspicious • Never leave your luggage unattended.
or pet sitter to stay at your home, litter outside your house and if you • Store all your valuables in the hotel's
ensure that they are registered on get post delivered to your street safety deposit box.
the access system of your complex or address, make sure it is regularly • Whether you’re in your hotel room
estate. It’s preferable to use people collected so that criminals watching or if you’ve just popped out for a
that you know and trust, such as a your home are not alerted to the fact moment, keep your room locked.
family member or a close friend, to that you’re away. • If there’s a knock at the door, check
look after your valuable home and • Don’t share your intention to be who it is before opening the door.
treasured pets. away for the Festive Season on social • Keep cameras and other valuables
• Make sure that the person caring for media. Rather wait until you return to concealed in a bag whenever you
your home is fully conversant with share all your happy memories. enter or leave the hotel.
your alarm system and let the security • Avoid carrying large sums of cash with
company know all of their details – SAFETY WHILE ON HOLIDAY you.
especially their cell phone number or • Especially when you are away, • At night, keep away from dark,
an alternative number where they can you need to know where your isolated and unknown areas.
be reached if there’s an emergency. children are at all times. Even if • When going exploring or sightseeing,
• If your home will be unattended, they are teenagers, don’t leave it's better to join a group and stick to
ensure that all the windows are them unattended or without adult well-lit, busy areas.
closed and that all access doors are supervision. • Before you set off on a journey, plan
securely locked before you set off on • Avoid wearing expensive jewellery your route in advance.
your journey. when you go out. • As you would in Joburg, keep the car
• Don’t store building materials, wood, • Stay off your cell phone when in a doors locked at all times and wind the
etc outside your home where they public space – it makes you an easy windows up.
can be used as a ladder to gain access target for criminals. • Lock valuable items in the boot or
to the upper level. • Look out for suspicious people store them in a cubby hole.
• Keep blinds/curtains closed. Don’t let when visiting an ATM. When in • At night, park in well-lit areas, and
possible intruders see what’s available doubt, cancel the transaction and preferably where you can see the
and valuable inside your home. step away from the ATM. Wait until vehicle from your accommodation.
• It is also a good idea to have some the suspicious people have left the
exterior lights fitted with day/night area, then go back and re-start your We hope you enjoy and make the most
sensor bulbs, to make it appear like transaction. of your holidays! And please travel safely
someone is home. Install a timer to • When shopping or visiting a at all times, so you arrive home relaxed
turn on the lights indoors and have at restaurant, keep your handbag close to and ready to take on the challenges of
least one load-shedding bulb that will you and your cell phone out of sight. the New Year.
6 DPL issue 10 2022
10 DPL issue 11 2022