Suburban
The crime of unlawful entry into premises and theft (house breaking)
This is a crime were an intruder comes to your house or business premises and gains access be it through use of force, weapons such as claw bars, screw drivers, bolt cutters, wires etc. to break open window panes, window latches and handles, door locks, or through the roof.
Some even scale the wall to get access into the yard or the building to steal your belongings.
At times thieves target those houses or premises where one would be staying alone or his or her room is far from other people’s rooms so that no one hears them either on arrival, during the act or when leaving.
What we can do to hinder this form of crime;
Materials used as burglar bars and screen bars must be of reasonable diameter which when the thief tries to cut, it won’t be an easy target,
Please check your windows to see if they are closed mostly before sunset,
Doors to be locked earlier so that you won’t fall asleep and forget to lock,
Curtain materials should not allow someone from outside to see the type of property in your house, as that attracts criminals too,
Don’t leave keys under the door mates, on flower beds etc. as criminals knew all these areas
Don’t leave items such as metal rods, axes, hoes, picks etc. outside the house as they may be used by thieves to break door levers and padlocks,
Don’t leave your house or business premises unguarded when travelling away, engage your neighbour or relatives to look after your premises, (know your neighbour)
Learn to sleep early as most criminals tend to come late into the deep of the night when you might be alert to disturb them,
Have secret motion sensors on your premises that will alert you of an intruder approaching your premises at an unusual time,
Switch off lights inside rooms and leave only security lights on (those outside),
Avoid inviting strangers (especially street vendors) into your houses or premises
Alarm volumes to be increased especially during the rain season and at most,
Lastly;
Join the Neighbourhood Watch Committee in your area and help others to carry out foot and or motorized street patrols to deter would be housebreakers! Together we can do better to fight crime. — Zimbabwe Republic Police Avondale Crime Consultative Committee
