Coke tin opening towards the house – someone is home.
Upright Coke tin – nobody home.
White sorghum carton, plastic bag – easy target.
Sorghum carton facing towards house – target marked.
White plastic bag on fence – easy target.
Green was used as a direction marker.
The direction that a bottle pointed indicated the direction the criminals should proceed.
Blue and/or blue and white: Clicks packets, etc – easy target and someone inside will help.
Simba (or Lays) chip packets were normally neatly folded, but sometimes weighed down by something inside the packet.
Crisp packet facing the house – owner at home.
Crisp packet facing the road – no-one home.
Shoes and soles near or by the gate – no-one home and direction of the shoes indicates the escape route.
Wrong numbers on your house or cell phone – checking if you are home.
If electricity is off at the main box be aware of leaving the house open as people inside are targets.
Sudden strange items in front of a house like a cardboard box, bricks, tree branch – do not stop to remove or you will be a target.
Brick – normally indicates a car to be stolen.
Two or three bricks (normally new bricks) – house robbery planned.
Important Tip: Home-owners must remove and dispose of all markers and to keep pavements neat and tidy.
Two big stones together – two old people (are home). Stones placed in a row indicated the number of people in the house. Swazika painted on road showed houses in street targeted for burglary and its direction indicating the targeted house.
A red coke tin, cloth, crisp packet, et cetera warned the attackers to “expect resistance”. Two coke tins warned that the owner was armed.
The colour black – stock theft
Poisoning: If a dog dies suddenly or vomits, check for black specks in the vomit or white powder near the dog. Report all dog poisonings to the SAPS who MUST give you a case number.
Listen to your barking dog.
Kiewiets (and geese) are excellent watch dogs. They sound the alarm when a human encroaches on their territory. Become aware of their various calls.