Organised criminals hit Durban schools

A gang of organised criminals is targeting Durban schools and fleeing with computers and other valuables, a local security company has warned. Blue Security operations manager Brian Jackson said the company believed it could be the same gang that hit eight former Model C schools during a spate of burglaries in Pietermaritzburg in February this year.
“Schools that have been targeted so far in Durban have included former Model C schools in Pinetown, Durban North and Hillcrest,” he said. “We have had reports of three burglaries over the past three days in these suburbs, where the gang broke into the schools and stole computers. In one case the burglars managed to get away with 53 computers,” he said.
Jackson said that since October last year there had been 16 burglaries and other crimes reported at schools across the city. “Some local schools’ security procedures have been found to be lax or their alarm systems have not been updated for a while, which makes them easier targets for criminals,” Jackson said.
According to Jackson the police had been alerted to the spate of burglaries, and the company was speaking to schools about the threat. “We urge school principals and their staff and governing bodies to be on high alert, as this gang is likely to strike again soon. We advise them to test their alarm systems regularly, and to make sure that there are no vulnerable areas where criminals can gain entry to areas such as the main office and computer rooms. It is important to install an infrared detector in the roof. In several cases targeting schools criminals gained entry through the roof, and then damaged the alarm system to try and avoid detection,” he said.
Jackson also advised schools to install CCTV surveillance cameras at entrances, and in computer rooms and the main office.
Owner of PMB Security Mary Ann Jeffery said a similar gang had targeted a large number of schools in Johannesburg, and eight schools across Pietermaritzburg had been burgled in February, just as children had gone back to school and school fees were being collected.
“We were hit badly in Pietermaritzburg and had about two weeks where they broke into the schools and went straight to the computer rooms. They stole all the computers and then broke into school safes and stole money,” Jeffery said. “They came through the roof in some cases and cut the alarm system and seemed to know exactly where they were going. We had a huge meeting with all the school principals and the schools upgraded their security systems,” she said.
Jeffery said the gang had hit schools in Cato Ridge and now seemed to be targeting Durban schools.