B Secure guards heard noises coming from the inside of the property whilst conducting a routine patrol on the premises. The security guards immediately notified B Secure management and the SAPS in the area. Our officers arrived on the scene and discovered a homeless man inside the bar area of the property. The man was armed with a knife that he had taken from the kitchen and was also heavily intoxicated. Property belonging to the owners had been damaged and a large amount of alcohol had been consumed by the man who had illegally gained access into the property. Police arrived on scene and arrested the man without further incident. Our security personnel then combed the area outside the property (Standard Operating Practice) and discovered a homeless man and woman sleeping in the nearby vicinity. Expensive bottled champagne was concealed in a bag for reselling and empty bottles of cheaper liquor were found on the scene. The two were arrested on suspicion of collusion.
Prevention Tips and Awareness
The homeless people in this instance had the necessary intelligence to commit the crime due to the fact that they were able to study the movements and activities of the residents and security staff without suspicion. Their extensive knowledge of the area coupled with the fact that they are generally unnoticed by the general public provides these people with ample opportunity to commit crime.
- Homeless people may seem harmless and sometimes very friendly but they have lived on the streets for a long period of time without having any form of steady income. They are often desperate, meaning that they are often forced to commit crime to survive.
- Ensure that your homes and businesses are securely locked at all times. Remove valuables from vehicles that are not securely locked in a garage or gated area - Items left exposed to prying eyes are inviting to criminals in general.
- Notify the police if you notice vagrant activity in your immediate area – Sleeping on your patio or loitering outside your property.
- Vagrants are potential opportunists who may also commit violent acts in an attempt to steal from your person – they are often armed with knives or sharp instruments.
- There are shelters that cater for the homeless so please don’t allow yourself to feel guilty when acting in your best interest – Safety first.
- B Secure is aware that vagrants are not all dangerous and that they do not all commit crime to survive. We promote awareness to the fact that they are often seen as “harmless and homeless” and therefore often go unnoticed, either by choice or habit. Please remain alert and acknowledge their presence.
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