VERY USEFUL SECURITY INFORMATION: KNOW THE SIGNS OF BURGLAR MARKERS

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These are the signs police are warning the public to watch for:

burglar-symbols

  • “Z” painted on a stop sign or on the road – houses in street targeted for burglary.
  • Pile of little stones – warns of dogs
  • Two big stones together – two old people
  • Stones in a row – indicates how many people in the house
  • Swastika painted on road – houses in street targeted for burglary.
  • Direction of the Swastika indicates which house is the target.
  • Coke tin, red cloth, crisp packet etc – can expect resistance.
  • 2 Coke tins indicates the owner is armed.



coke-can

  • 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.


stones-in-a-row

  • 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.