INTRUDERS AT NIGHT – I
On Thursday/Friday night we again had two incidents of burglars entering properties. If you read the last newsletter you will know that we are now entering the season of the “pre-Christmas shoppers”. These are mainly the “bos-slapers” who come in during the night and jump walls or fences to take what you and I leave lying around.
In the same newsletter it was mentioned that residents are asked to get up and check if they hear any unusual noises or dogs barking for no real reason. These are normally good indicators that someone is around, and unless it is a patroller, it could be a wall-jumper. Do not ignore this, but get up and check from your darkened home.
Once you have checked and you see an intruder in your garden or even in your neighbour’s property, call it in on CHANNEL 1 immediately. Forget the politeness of first greeting the coordinator and enquiring as to their health. Call: “your street address and that you have a confirmed intruder in your property and then say what he is doing.” Even more importantly, do not ‘text’ the fact that you have an intruder in your garden to your best friend, asking them to put it on the radio – this only gives the intruder ample time to take your stuff and disappear.
INTRUDERS AT NIGHT – II
To catch any intruder requires rapid action by as many residents as possible. To achieve this we need to:
1. Keep our radios on at night. Turn it down if you must so that it does not give you a fright when there is a call.
2. React to the message if you can, that is, go out and form the perimeter. This is particularly so if the incident reported is near to you.
3. Go to the street corner nearest to you and where the incident is taking place. Look especially for anyone crossing the street from one property to another or anyone hogging the fencing or walls. Call in if you see anyone.
Remember, the rest of Doringkloof is relying on us all to do our bit.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Copied below are a series of Whatsapp messages sent by different individuals in connection with the incidents above! They are all as a result of the intruders. (Pity that some of the messages where not broadcast on the radio at the time – we might have caught the suspects!)
“We had 2 attempted break-ins during the early hours of this morning. We recovered 2 stolen bicycles in the spruit. Please check your garages & wendys to ensure you aren't missing bicycles.
They were out shopping in full force! And more is expected next week.
They were everywhere last night. Felt like 50 of them. We know for absolute sure there were 4. Please be vigilant all day and night especially until the end of next week. Keep your radios on & charged & respond when we call for residents back up please.
Dogs were going crazy!!! Please we need more people for patrolling!!
AND responding.
Residents feet because this is their neighbourhood. It can't all be placed on the patrollers & minute men. We are eyes & ears and need back up when we spot rubbish going down.”
THE ABOVE CERTAINLY MAKES FOR SOME INTERESTING READING!
IN RESPONSE WE WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THE FOLLOWING
We as Doringkloof residents need to realise that we do not have any special elite crime fighting unit or private police force at our disposal. We rely on each one of you that make up the Doringkloof Neighbourhood Watch.
We also need to realise that we cannot call on a “patroller or minute man” to go and check on a suspicious person! Remember that we, as members of the DNW, are actually all of us patrollers/minute men. Whether you are a man or woman, nothing should stop you from keeping an eye on a suspect and calling it in on the radio. It is only when it comes to actually confronting a suspect that we need as many feet on the ground. It is then that the coordinator will call for back up.
Meanwhile, we are fortunate that there are Doringkloof residents who are prepared to give up of their time to patrol. We cannot always be on the lookout into the street when asleep, so these special residents have volunteered to just that during critical times. But, they are not at our beck and call, to be summoned to do exactly what we should be doing.
When the coordinator asks for someone to go and check, it means you and me – anyone who is available and close by, not someone from the patrollers!
Regards,
DNW Team
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