Currently Business Robberies are showing an increase in the Honeydew Precinct and Business owners and managers are urged to please ensure that they have adequate security in place. Please test the security on a regular basis to ensure that panic buttons are working. Also ensure that you have all the emergency numbers visible for your staff members in case of an emergency, especially after hours.
Security guards must also be visited after hours and ensure that they know who to contact in case of emergencies.
Weekend Business Robberies in Honeydew Precinct:
On Saturday morning at approximately 07h00 a group of 16 suspects arrived in a white Isuzu truck, a white Corsa bakkie and a Red V.W. combi at a business premises in Lazer Park. They held up the two security guards with pistols who were on duty. They then went into the premises where they held up 20 employees.
They then instructed one of the employees to bring one of the company’s trucks to their truck where they off loaded boxes of computers, jewellery and electrical equipment into their truck. They fled the scene in the vehicles that they arrived in. Anyone who has any information pertaining to this robbery is asked to contact W/O van der Walt on 082-925-4515.
There were also two business robberies in the evening and in the early hours of the morning, at Spaza shops in Cosmo City. In both incidents the suspects entered the shop posing as customers and then produced firearms and knives and held up the employees. The suspects fled with money, cellphones and airtime vouchers.
Safety at Business Premises:
- Try to avoid the accumulation of large amounts of cash in cash registers by installing drop-safes.
- Strategically install surveillance cameras and implement some form of access control. Make sure ALL persons including visitors can be clearly identified.
- Keep the premises well-illuminated inside and outside.
- Take special precautionary measures at opening and closing times. Do not leave only one person responsible for opening and locking up the business.
- Take special precautions with regard to the handling and transporting of cash.
- Thoroughly screen employees and involve employees in the security planning and execution, but also keep in mind the danger of information leaks and stick to a need-to-know basis.
- Devise a security plan, including ways to raise the alarm in the case of emergency and procedures to follow if suspicious individuals approach or enter the premises.
- Consolidate efforts to enhance security by involving neighboring businesses in mutual assistance.
- Consult experts and install or erect as many security features as possible to deter criminals.
