There is no getting away from the issue that as the country with the greatest income disparity in the world we are also facing a crime wave that seemingly has no end. Many will point to demographics and stats and argue convincingly that to even begin to expect a drop in crime is an unrealistic expectation.
It is not easy to source reliable data on crime in South Africa. Police statistics are treated with great suspicion as politicians place pressure on improved statistics for their own ends. In the end local security services together with the neighbourhood watch, may be your best bet to gauge security issues in the area you wish to buy in. No matter what the statistics are we know they are very troubling and vary from bad to worse from one area to another.
We cannot all live in security estates and neither do we all want to, but we can buy with security in mind so here are a few ideas to consider;
· * A double storey property with bedrooms upstairs can be is a fantastic advantage. Security experts agree that a physical barrier is critical to put off an intruder or buy you time if you have a robbery or home invasion. A security gate that cuts off the downstairs living area from the upstairs bedrooms allows you to get a good night’s sleep and not having to respond to every creek and rustle. (Make sure your cellphone and car keys etc are all with you upstairs at night and not hanging on the key rack at the front door!)
· * Obvious escape routes for thieves play a major role in choosing properties to rob. Does the location of the property allow an intruder to melt away quickly and easily into a surrounding area? Thieves do not want to worry with a high risk ‘problematic’ property and will basically choose an easier victim down the road!
Continue reading →
