{"id":809299,"date":"2025-01-31T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=809299"},"modified":"2025-01-30T16:34:53","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T14:34:53","slug":"disturbing-trend-hitting-one-of-south-africas-estate-hotspots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/809299\/disturbing-trend-hitting-one-of-south-africas-estate-hotspots\/","title":{"rendered":"Disturbing trend hitting one of South Africa’s estate hotspots"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Centurion, one of South Africa\u2019s most sought-after estate hotspots, is facing a growing security threat as home robberies surge in several suburbs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent property data from Lightstone shows that Centurion is still a favourite place to buy homes, with over 20,000 transactions adding up to more than R25 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many buyers prefer estates with added security, making up 16% of these sales. In just two months, Seeff Properties recorded over R156 million worth of home sales, proving the area\u2019s popularity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most buyers look for houses in the R2 million to R4.5 million range, while luxury properties go for R10 million or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this perception of safety is being shaken as criminals shift their focus to other parts of Centurion, where break-ins and violent home invasions are on the rise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fidelity ADT<\/a> has issued an urgent warning to residents, citing a marked increase in armed robberies, particularly in Lyttelton, Doornkloof, Wierdapark, Eldoraigne, and surrounding areas. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over just one week, six incidents were reported, with attackers employing increasingly bold tactics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charnel Hattingh, Group Head of Marketing & Communications for Fidelity ADT, explained that criminals have changed their modus operandi, targeting homes over weekends when families are more relaxed and security systems are often disarmed. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, criminals scout the area under the pretence of seeking accommodation before striking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHomeowners open their doors, only to be held at gunpoint. How you react in that moment can save your life or cost you your life,\u201d Hattingh warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent wave of violence was tragically underscored on Monday (January 27) when a couple in Lyttelton was brutally murdered during a home invasion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to SAPS spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk, the suspect posed as a prospective homebuyer, gaining access under the guise of viewing a property. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once inside, the situation quickly turned deadly as the victims resisted. Armed with a firearm and a knife, the assailant fatally stabbed both occupants before fleeing the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is particularly concerning, considering that robberies and burglaries are differentiated by the presence of the victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the South African Police Service’s definition, burglaries occur when a thief enters a home intending to steal while the victim is absent, while robberies happen when the victim is present and threatened during the theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the latest crime statistics<\/a> indicate a slight national decline in home robberies\u2014falling from 6,045 cases between July and September 2023 to 5,967 in the same period in 2024\u2014the numbers remain alarmingly high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety tips <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In light of these developments, security experts urge residents to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves. Some key safety measures include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Staying calm and complying with robbers\u2019 demands to avoid escalating the situation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Keep hands visible and avoid sudden movements that could be misinterpreted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Not attempting to negotiate or lie about valuables, as criminals often conduct prior reconnaissance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Observing and mentally noting details about the perpetrators, such as clothing, height, distinguishing features, and weapons used.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Ensuring robbers are aware of any expected visitors or household members to prevent surprises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            After an incident, immediate steps should be taken to ensure safety:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Press the panic button or call the police (10111) and request medical assistance if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Lock all doors and check on everyone involved, keeping them calm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                • Provide clear, detailed accounts of the event to first responders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                    \n
                  • Avoid disturbing the crime scene to preserve evidence for investigators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    The hope is that increased awareness and community action will help curb these incidents and restore a sense of security to one of South Africa\u2019s most desirable residential areas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    One of South Africa\u2019s most desirable estate hotspots is facing a growing security threat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":809363,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9876],"tags":[7167,12867,7421,3888,10773,853],"class_list":["post-809299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-centurion","tag-fidelity-adt","tag-lightstone","tag-saps","tag-seeff","tag-south-africa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/809299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=809299"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/809299\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":809625,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/809299\/revisions\/809625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/809363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=809299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=809299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=809299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}