MONTHLY OVERVIEW
- Safeguard reported a 53% decrease in reported incidents in the past two months.
- Violent crimes within Safeguard decreased by 45%, whilst non-violent crimes decreased by 39%.
- It is important to note that violent crimes remain a serious concern nationwide. In the past month, reports of a shooting, rape, murder, and assault with deadly weapons were reported by the police and in the media.
- Machete gang-related crimes were reported in but not limited to Mutare, Bulawayo, Kwekwe, and Kadoma. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have however managed to arrest a number of offenders though machete gang-related crimes remain a cause for concern, especially at mines and in mining towns.
- Safes continue to be targeted at business premises with criminals using explosives and grinders to open safes.
- Criminals continue to target vehicles and more recently, fire extinguishers.
- The backyard was a common access point for criminals during break-ins and robberies.
NATIONWIDE CRIME, JUNE 2021 – JUNE 2022
CRIME BREAKDOWN BY MONTH, JANUARY 2022 – JUNE 2022
*The above graphs only depict the crime incidents reported to Safeguard Security and Safeguard Alarms nationwide.
SECURITY ADVICE
- Be careful of who you employ or allow into your personal space.
- Residents and business owners should still lock their doors and gates, and close their windows even if they have a guard and/or an alarm on-site.
- Property owners should ensure that they also install alarm systems at their cottages, especially if they are unoccupied.
- The backyard is a commonly used access point by criminals, and outdoor sensors are recommended in the backyard for early intruder detection.
- Always check that all your doors are locked and that your windows are closed before walking away from your vehicle. You should always lock your vehicle even if you believe you will be gone a short time.
- Install an alarm at office buildings even if you do not store money on site. The sounding alarm will deter criminals from committing further damage to your property.
- In the event of a robbery or intrusion on-site, individuals are urged to do the following:
- To press their panic button, the moment they suspect an intrusion or hear intruders on site. A panic button that is linked to the alarm system will deter criminals from proceeding further.
- In the event that you encounter the intruders face to face, stay Calm. Try not to panic.
- Comply with the demands. Do not resist by fighting or verbally abusing the intruders. Give them what they ask for.
- If you can, collect evidence by discreetly observing what the intruders say or do. This information can later assist police officers in their investigation.
- In the event of a misunderstanding with a known or unknown person, individuals are urged to do the following:
- Remain calm and step away. Avoid raising your voice, hurling insults, or physically assaulting them.
- Calmly communicate that you’d rather resume the conversation another time or rather that the conversation should end i.e. concede defeat.
- Maintain physical distance between you and the person and watch their movements.
- If they appear calm and you do not see any other forms of aggression, take another step back and walk away whilst checking your back.
- If they make any aggressive movements, rather run and hide in a safe space than to engage in a physical fight.
OUTLOOK
In June, in Bulawayo, Safeguard managed to apprehend two suspects after receiving a call of an intrusion on site. Safeguard deployed two response teams that barricaded the premise before the suspects fled. The team had to fire warning shots for the suspects to surrender, leading to their successful arrest.
As both private security and law enforcement agencies continue to combat crime and effect arrests, individuals are urged to be vigilant, report any suspicious activity, and steer clear of police chases or possible pursuits of suspects to avoid being injured in such an incident.
Thank you for using Safeguard
JUNE 2022 INCIDENT SUMMARIES
HARARE
Armed Robbery
05 June 2022, 0246, Retail Site, Simon Mazorodze, Workington: A response team was dispatched after a panic signal was received from the premise. Upon arrival, the team met with a private guard who informed them that a neighbouring guard had been attacked by robbers. The attacked guard sought help from the neighbouring guard after he was left dumped in a graveyard. It is reported that at around 0100, seven armed robbers attacked him and tried to force open the building. A neighbouring alarm system
activated and the robbers fled the scene empty-handed. The guard reported that he had only managed to press the panic button after the robbers fled.
01 June 2022, 0108, Business Premise, Simon Mazorodze, Workington: An alarm signal was received from the premise and a response team was dispatched. Upon arrival, the team discovered that there were armed robbers inside the premise. A later report revealed that seven robbers armed with a pistol had held up two guards after entering the premise through the back. The robbers had scaled the security wall to enter the premise and attacked the guards. The robbers had attacked one of the responding guards but fled the scene when they realised that the second guard had raised an alarm. The robbers fled the scene with a torch and satchel they had taken from one of the guards.
Robbery
29 June 2022, 0159, Residential Site, Arnold Edmonds, Glen Lorne: A response team was dispatched after a panic signal was received from the site. Upon arrival, the team met with a guard who informed the team that three intruders had attacked him with iron bars. The intruders had cut the diamond wire and electric fence to enter the premise and had targeted the transformer that is located outside the client’s premise. The intruders dropped the transformer when they realised that alarm had been raised and fled the scene. The intruders had also stolen a cellphone, some money and a panic button from the guard.
Assault
25 June 2022, Public Location, Borrowdale: A female employee was assaulted on her way home. The employee believes the individual had been sent to assault her by a person known to her.
Break-In
30 June 2022, 0335, Base Station, Sawley Way, Marlborough: A client activated his panic button after he heard a noise outside his premise. A response team was dispatched and discovered that intruders had attempted to steal the transformer.
30 June 2022, 0200, Residential Site, Crinniss Road, Ballantyne Park: Intruders forced their way onto the premise, broke the windows of a vehicle parked on-site and stole a laptop from the vehicle.
27 June 2022, 0206, Industrial Site, Plymouth Road, Southerton: An alert guard raised the control room after he saw intruders in the yard. A response team was dispatched and upon arrival, the team discovered a vehicle tyre that had been dumped along the durawall. Further investigations revealed that the tyre had been removed from an unlocked store room.
26 June 2022, 0548, Residential Site, Cork Road, Avondale: A response team was dispatched to the site after an alarm signal was received. Upon arrival, the team discovered that intruders had broken a cottage window. The caretaker who stays offsite, responded to the break-in and reported that the geyser and water meter had been stolen. There is no alarm at the cottage where the geyser and sensors were stolen. The main house is also vacant.
23 June 2022, 2230, Logistics Company, Martin Drive, Msasa: An alert guard raised the control room and reported that he had seen intruders jumping into the premise with the intention of stealing fuel from the site. The response control room was advised and a response team was dispatched. The intruders fled the scene as the response team arrived, no losses reported.
22 June 2022, 0213, Residential Site, Princess Drive, Newlands: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the site. Upon arrival, the team discovered that intruders had cut the barbed wire along Knightsbridge Road. The intruders fled the scene empty-handed when the alarm sounded inside the yard.
17 June 2022, Unknown Time, Industrial Site, Paisley Road, Workington: Alert guards raised alarm after an intruder jumped over the wall into the premise. The intruder fled the scene empty-handed.
13 June 2022, 0920, Residential Site, Broadlands Road, Emerald Hill: A client called the control room and reported that intruders had cut the electric fence and drained fuel from a vehicle on site. The alarm was not armed due to a power cut on site.
10 June 2022, 0432, Residential Site, Knightsbridge Road, Newlands: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the premise. Upon arrival, the team met with the client who informed them that she had pressed her panic button when she noticed that her kitchen door had been forced open with a sharp object. The intruders stole some money from her bedroom and fled the scene. The site is secured with a security stand-alone alarm system.
08 June 2022, 2300, Residential Site, Travlos Road, Avonlea: A response team was dispatched after a client pressed the panic button upon noticing that intruders had entered the site. The intruders immediately fled the scene when the team arrived within 3 minutes.
06 June 2022, 2131, Base Station, Cheviot and First Street, Waterfalls: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the premise. Upon arrival, the team discovered that intruders had cut the palisade bar and attempted to enter the base station. There was no guard on site.
01 June 2022, 0057, Residential Site, Marlow Close, Greencroft: A non-client called the control room and requested a response team after his help reported that there were intruders in the yard. A response team was dispatched and all was reported clear on site.
Theft
22 June 2022, 0315, Residential Site, Greengrove Drive, Greendale: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the premise. The team met with a private guard who was outside the gate and was informed that intruders had entered the premise at 0200. The guard had tried to alert the client but the client only responded when the guard triggered the alarm. The intruders had accessed the premise via the old broken, backyard security wall. The intruders broke the tenant’s vehicle window at the cottage and stole a car radio. The cottage does not have an alarm and the electric fence is old and non-functional.
15 June 2022, 14:46, Residential Site, Thornburg Avenue, Groombridge: A client called the response control room and requested for a vehicle to be dispatched to site. A vehicle was dispatched and instructed to pick up police from Marlborough Police Station. Upon arrival on-site, the team and police officers managed to arrest four suspects as they were loading chairs, metal door frames, garage doors and a small metal cabin onto a Nissan Hardbody.
15 June 2022, 0420, Industrial Site, Lytton Road, Workington: Five truck batteries were stolen from two vehicles parked outside the premise. An external guard and a Safeguard guard were manning the parking at the time the incident occurred.
14 June 2022, 02:56, Gaydon and Outspan Roads, Greystone Park: A patrolling guard pressed his panic button after he saw that an armoured electricity cable had been stolen from outside the premise.
14 June 2022, 00:12, Residential Site, Ard na Lee Close, Glen Lorne: A non-client resident called the response team requesting a vehicle to be dispatched to the site. Upon arrival, the team was informed that a television had been stolen from the lounge. The resident’s daughter heard footsteps inside the house and called out for her parents who were asleep. No sign of break in was seen, but the intruder broke out through the main sliding door.
13 June 2022, Unknown Time, Industrial Site, Dagenham Road, Willowvale: Diesel and fire extinguishers were stolen from the premise. Guards on site.
09 June 2022, 0741, Residential Site, Fowey Road, Vainona: A client pressed the panic button upon discovering that a swimming pool pump had been stolen. The area is covered by an alarm and the pump had been housed in a locked cage. The client reported that the person who had taken the pump had used a key to open the cage.
03 June 2022, 02:46, Residential Site, Harare Drive: An alert guard raised alarm after he saw two men opening the gate. He informed the caretaker who proceeded to press his panic baton and a response team was dispatched. The men had fled the scene when the team arrived.
01 June 2022, Unknown Site, Educational Institution, Teign Road, Vainona: Unknown suspects forced open a vehicle door and stole a handbag which had some money and personal belongings.
01 June 2022, 0427, Industrial Site, Martin Drive, Msasa: A caretaker called the control room and reported that intruders had accessed the premise and were stealing batteries and fuel. The intruders had broken the gate key and started draining fuel from the trucks. Two batteries were also stolen from the premise.
BULAWAYO
Armed Robbery
01 June 2022, 0200, Business Premise, Joshua Nkomo Street, Bulawayo City Centre: Four suspects attacked the guard and tied him up before breaking into the building through the roof. The suspects vandalised the alarm battery, damaged the safe and stole an undisclosed amount of money from the site.
Robbery
20 June 2022, 0059, Business Premise, Josiah Chinamano Avenue, Belmont: A panic signal was received and a response team was dispatched. Upon arrival, the team found that the internal guard had been tied up by intruders but had managed to press his panic causing the alarm to sound. A back up team was dispatched although the intruders had fled the scene when the alarm sounded. The intruders only managed to take the guard’s wallet.
19 June 2022, 0110, Business Premise, Entumbane: A distress call was received from the site and a response team was dispatched. Upon arrival, the team met with a guard who reported that there were intruders on site. The team proceeded to seal off the premise and a reinforcement team was dispatched. The intruders started throwing rocks at the response teams resulting in the team firing warning shots. The suspects then surrendered resulting in their arrest. Break-in tools, a lithium powered grinder and
two portable batteries were recovered from the suspects.
Assault
22 June 2022, Public Location, Bulawayo: An employee reported that he was stabbed by unknown suspects whilst off duty.
Break-In
12 June 2022, 0139, Industrial Site, Blackrock Road, Westondale: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the premise. Upon arrival, the team discovered that intruders had broken the windows and cut the burglar bars to enter the offices. The intruders ripped out the alarm system and telephone wires before grinding open the safe. When they saw that the safe was empty, the intruders ransacked the offices searching for money and managed to steal a cash box which had no money.
01 June 2022, Unknown Time, Retail Site, Robert Mugabe Way, City Centre: Client called in and reported that an intruder had attempted to break in through the roof.
Theft
26 June 2022, Unknown Time, Industrial Site, City Centre: An informant came forward to report that he had seen an unknown suspect stealing scrap radiators from the premise. The site did not have a guard at the time the incident occurred.
20 June 2022, 0843, Retail Site, Eighth Avenue, City Centre: Clothing items were stolen from the premise. The theft was discovered during CCTV playbacks.
17 June 2022, 2020, Industrial Site, Makokoba: A report was received that goods had been stolen from the kitchen. The alarm had activated but it was attended to by an external security company.
17 June 2022, 1100, Retail Site, Donnington: Client called and reported that some goods had been stolen from a vehicle parked on site overnight. There were no signs of forced entry on the vehicle.
09 June 2022, Retail Site, Leopold Takawira, City Centre: An on duty guard reported that a shoplifter ran out of the shop with clothing items that had not been paid for.
MANICALAND
Theft
28 June 2022, 2050, Industrial Site, Simon Mazorodze Road, Mutare: An employee was apprehended for stealing goods on-site.
24 June 2022, 1805, Retail Site, Glasgow Road, Muneni: An employee’s cellphone was stolen onsite.
15 June 2022, Industrial Site, Zimunya Township: Several units of alcohol were stolen from the premise.
12 June 2022, 0945, Farm, Chipinge: Patrolling guards recovered 4x50kgs of avocadoes and 62m of black plastic pipe hidden in a nearby bush.
01 June 2022, 1027, Retail Site, 2nd Street, Mutare: A guard reported that two rolls of electricity cables were stolen from the premise.
MASHONALAND EAST
Break-In
22 June 2022, 0509, Industrial Site, Ventersburg, Ruwa: Three intruders stole two generator batteries, a bicycle, a cellphone, and torch. The patrolling guard saw the intruders jumping out of the premise and raised for assistance.
MIDLANDS
Armed Robbery
28 June 2022, 0210, Industrial Site. Lincoln Road, Light Industrial: A response team was dispatched after an alarm activation was received from the site. Upon arrival, one of the responding guards was attacked by four suspects. One of the suspects threw a stone through the response window vehicle and forced the driver out at gunpoint. The suspects held up the responding guards and proceeded force their way into the onsite offices. Upon noticing that the response team was not communicating a second response team was dispatched to assist. The second responders fired a warning shot and the suspects fled the scene. The suspects fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.
Break-in
26 June 2022, 1900, Educational Institution, Gweru: A patrolling guard reported that intruders were cutting the fence near a transformer. On seeing the guard, the intruders fled the scene empty-handed.
21 June 2022, 1422, Base Station, Mbizo: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the station. Upon arrival, the team discovered that intruders had damaged the palisade bars and stolen diesel from the generator. All the cameras were covered with pieces of cloth.
16 June 2022, 2016, Mine, Gweru: A guard fired warning shots after three intruders attempted to break into the premise.
12 June 2022, 2247, Base Station, Mbizo: A response team was dispatched after an alarm signal was received from the site. Upon arrival, the team discovered that intruders had removed a palisade nut and bolt, and proceeded to cover the cameras with cloth and a plastic bag. No losses were reported from the base station.
04 June 2022, 0030, Mine, Mberengwa: Guards on site had to fire warning shots after artisanal miners attempted to attack them on site.
Theft
20 June 2022, 0000, Mine, Shurugwi: Two truck batteries were stolen from a tipper truck. The site is manned by both internal and Safeguard guards.