Warning to Businesses: Armed Robbers Posing as Customers on the Rise

Blue Security would like to put out a warning to businesses about armed robbers posing as customers. Businesses in and around Durban are advised to practice caution as increasing incidents occur.
“In Ballito, Blue Security responded to a callout where a suspect, posing as a delivery man, stole a cellphone from a business premises before fleeing,” said Blue Security community and media liaison officer, Andreas Mathios.
The suspect was reported as wearing a red mask and carrying a clipboard. The incident, which occurred within a local business park, is under investigation.
In a separate incident earlier in the week three suspects arrived at an industrial park in Pinetown, posing as customers.
“Their modus operandi was one where they initially asked for a quote for building materials from the owner,” Mathios said.
The suspects then returned a short while later. Unfortunately during the second visit two of them produced firearms and threatened the business owner and his staff with their weapons.
The owner was forced to take the suspects to his office where a laptop, computer, cellphones and cash were taken.
Advice to Businesses 
Our team has advised that business owners and staff should keep all valuables hidden or locked away and out of sight.
Blue Security believes in businesses investing in CCTV cameras that are connected to a smart alarm system. This has acted as a strong deterrent against crime and has proven to assist with identifying suspicious behaviour or criminals.
Please also install easily-accessible panic buttons that can be activated in an emergency and are linked to Blue Security’s armed response control centre. At Blue Security, panic button activations are treated as priority emergencies by our armed response team.
For more advice on how to keep your business safe, please refer to our website article: https://bluesecurity.co.za/are-you-safe-at-work/