Some safety precautions you can take in and around your house:
- High Walls are NOT safe. A high see-through fence around the house with lockable gates is much safer due to the advantage of improved visibility.
- Ensure all doors are locked and windows closed when you are not at home. Never leave keys in the door.
- Lock all tools away – ladders, axes, spades, picks, screwdrivers, hammers can be used in an attack or to break into your house.
- Get into the habit of not immediately falling asleep after switching off the lights.
- You should not be visible in the bedroom from the outside when you are asleep.
- Always keep a torch nearby at night and when you use it, ensure that you do not give away your position.
- When you are out late in the evening or at night, be aware of your surroundings and if you don’t feel safe or comfortable, contact your security provider (they should come to your assistance) or the Woodstock SAPS Sector 2 Patrol Vehicle or Woodstock Station – see numbers below.
- Get to know your neighbours and get their phone numbers. Your neighbour is closest when you need help and good neighbours can support and help each other. Also inform each other about anything suspicious.
- Get a whistle and blow it loudly when something happens. People will come to your assistance.
- Vary your daily routine, because you never know who is watching you.
- Involve employees, as they are part of the family/team and must be involved in maintaining security on an equal footing.
- Do not employ casual workers without a reference.
- Do not leave valuable items in your car!!!
- These are the essential phone numbers you must have programmed into your phone and stuck to your fridge or front door:
- Woodstock SAPS Patrol Vehicle Sector 2 – 082 443 5129
- Woodstock SAPS Shift Captain – 082 469 2522
- Sector Manager Constable Prins – 082 302 6789
- Number of your security provider – ADT, City Bowl, Chubb, etc.
- Number of your neighbour(s)
Also: report all crime – even if it seems trivial to you. Woodstock Police need this information to effectively combat crime in our area!
