Dear residents,
The report was delayed this week due to computer issues.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARING FACTUAL INFORMATION ONLY
In order for newsworthy content to be accurate and reliable it must be well-sourced and supported by strong evidence. Verified facts must therefore form the basis of all news, not rumor and speculation.
Red Alert’s company policy is to be totally transparent in declaring what we know and what we don’t know. Those who trust us will be prepared to wait for our version before jumping to conclusions and feeding the public’s social media crime frenzies, which cultivate fear amongst many. Caution, not speed, is particularly needed if the topic is as controversial as personal safety and security.
The public are advised to be cautious about those who offer to speak up and share information that they have obtained via third party sources or otherwise. Consider that they might be biased and that they could be promoting unsubstantiated and misleading information to support an agenda other than to accurately inform the public of the facts.
Don’t take for granted what you read on social media in particular. It might look and sound convincing, but that doesn’t mean it is all factual or accurate.
Hopefully the factual content of the following report will subdue the inaccurate social media negativity circulating outside of Oak Park about the recent home invasion in Crowned Eagle Way.
CRIME STATS 02-11-15 to 09-11-15
Suspicious criminal activity started at 01h06 on Sunday morning in the Oak Park area when a burglar alarm had activated in Highlevel Place. It was discovered that no access was gained into the property though. The RO who had investigated this incident had heard movement in the forest. Someone had also whistled suspiciously in the distance. All backup units were therefore on high alert and kept in close proximity. Officers and the Control Room avoided Red Alert’s two-way radio communications during this time and switched to cellular to ensure that the integrity of the radio network had not been compromised or intercepted.
ROBBERY: DOMESTIC (OAK PARK)- Panic signal received at 02h50 on 08-11-15.
- The security system was NOT ARMED at the time of the burglary.
- The client stated telephonically that there were four suspects in her house who had fled into the bushes at the back of her yard when the panic alarm was raised.
- These suspects had entered the home and had held up an elderly woman who had been asleep at the time.
- The woman was gagged and her head was covered with the duvet on the bed.
- The suspects warned the lady that they would harm her if she screamed.
They continued to ransack the house and also removed the lady’s ring off her finger whilst stealing jewellery from her bedside. The ring was however later recovered on the floor in the bedroom.
- The lady did not hear any noises for a short while thereafter and therefore assumed that the suspects had left. As she left her room one of the suspects pushed her in the face forcing her back into the room.
- A short while later one of the black attackers grabbed the lady by her arm and forced her to show them where the car keys were. She was thereafter pushed back onto her bed.
- The suspects had switched on the stove and had attempted to cook meat that they had found in the fridge but they had turned on the wrong plate. A box of bananas had been left on the stove which had started to burn.
- After a long period of silence the lady then established that the suspects had left and she then alerted the other occupants on the other side of the house by screaming.
- The dedicated response vehicle arrived onsite within two minutes. Using the knowledge of a previous escape route used by intruders he immediately rushed to the end of Crowned Eagle Way where he left his vehicle and proceeded on foot.
- Motivated to put an end to the recent spike in crime in the northern suburbs, the RA Officer ignored company policy and entered the forest area in pursuit of the suspects, bravely putting his life on the line. He was confronted by two of the intruders crouching in the bush. One warning shot, and one shot in self-defense, were discharged at the suspects.
- There is a possibility that one of the suspects had been hit in the abdomen area but this could not be confirmed as the officer had a torch in one hand and his firearm in the other.
- Both suspects dropped the stolen merchandise in their possession and fled deeper into the forest.
- The officer still gave chase with the knowledge that two backup vehicles had entered the forest from Warwick Road in an attempt to assist with flushing out and apprehending the suspects.
- The SAPS Dog Squad were also in attendance and they assisted in the search but unfortunately the dogs could not pick up a scent due to the fact that it had been raining at the time.
- ER24 were contacted via SA CAN and called out to attend to the lady who was in a state of shock.
- The neighbour of the client, who had been burgled in Crowned Eagle way reported that her external beams had triggered off between 01h00 and 02h00 that morning.There were signs that someone had been in her yard too. It was however assumed by the neighbour that the suspects had fled when the alarm had activated.
- Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the suspects had attempted to gain access into 37 Crowned Eagle Way as the chain on the back gate leading into the forest had been cut.
- The Red Alert Team patrolled the bushes and managed to recover much of the stolen items.
- The SAPS Forensics Department are carrying out their investigations.
RECOVERED ITEMS
BURGLARY: DOMESTIC (HILTON) HILLSIDE ROAD – Client called in at 06h41 on 03-11-15.
- The client stated that her garage had been burgled the previous night.
- The suspect/s had forced open the garage door and had stolen a brushcutter and a mountain bike.
- The vehicles that were parked in the garage had not been tampered with.
- The garage was not protected by the electronic alarm system.
- A case has been opened with the SAPS for further investigation.
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY: DOMESTIC (MOUNTAIN RISE) DARTNELL ROAD – Clients son called in at 13h24 on 06-11-15.
- The caller stated that he had arrived home and discovered that the roof tiles had been displaced. He had assumed that there were suspects in the house.
- The Red Alert Team responded and carried out an internal check but there were no suspects in the house.
- No access was gained via the roof but it was evident that there had been suspects on the property as there were lots of footprints on the wooden verandah floor.
- The client declined to report the incident to the SAPS.
- The electronic alarm system was not armed when the incident took place.
SHOPLIFTING CASE: COMMERCIAL (CBD) BOOM STREET – Call received from monitoring company 10h52 on 07-11-15.
- A guard at the supermarket had apprehended a man for suspected shoplifting and needed assistance to detain him.
- The RA officer arrived promptly and assisted by handcuffing the suspect until the SAPS had arrived.
- The suspect was in possession of goods from the store that he could not produce a till slip for.
- The suspect was under the influence of alcohol and refused to cooperate. He was taken into SAPS custody.
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The Red Alert Team
Red Alert Electronic Security - PMB
| Office (033) 34 55 860 |
| Fax (033) 34 55 868
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