I'll tell you that the latest action now borders on the fringes of the
mountain - for those of us lucky (or unlucky) enough to live right on
or close to the slopes of Table Mountain. Raiding into suburbs from
areas such as Orangekloof or the Constantia Greenbelt is now all the
rage.  Thieving in Tokai and then walking home to Hout Bay through the
mountain - with DVD or Laptop under arm - is considered all in a
nights work. You won’t believe the terrain these guys can cross – at
great speed in the dark – while carrying stolen kit.   Puts our trail
runners to shame.

Pretty lucrative too, we have worked out. Two or three laptops in a
week = a few thousand ‘commercial ront’. Add to this a few cell phones
- which lets face it, we all leave lying around on the dining room
table (right?) - and you have a really good business going. One flat
screen TV and your Christmas bonus is secured. Why work on a
construction site?  For a scummy labour broker nogal, and for less
than 100 ront per day.  Forget that!

And who’s  gonna catch you?  Not SAPS. Not TMNP. Not ADT. Maybe your
friendly Neighbourhood Watch guys. Maybe the Mountain Men….  Maybe…
But the chances are very, very slim and even if you do get caught, you
got options:  you can buy your docket, pretend to be someone else,
escape, turn state witness, get out on bail countless times or even
(if you are seriously desperate) …  become a politician!  Or choose
all of the above.  Sigh!

What can we do?   Secure our boundaries – layer by layer, install a
safe room, have a plan for when they come, program your phone with all
the numbers, join your local Neighbourhood Watch, learn some
recognition skills (they are watching you all the time), meet your
local sector police commander (quite nice guys I found), pass on
information regarding suspicious behaviour, write to your Ward
Councillor (ag shame, they always look like rabbits in the
headlights), write to your MEC, MP, ABC, XYZ, report stuff to crime
watch, get involved, become a policeman.   Lots we can do. Just don’t
give up.

I thought I’d stick this out there tonight and see what people
think.
(and in case you thought this web site was defunct)

Andre

I'll tell you that the latest action now borders on the fringes of the
mountain - for those of us lucky (or unlucky) enough to live right on
or close to the slopes of Table Mountain. Raiding into suburbs from
areas such as Orangekloof or the Constantia Greenbelt is now all the
rage.  Thieving in Tokai and then walking home to Hout Bay through the
mountain - with DVD or Laptop under arm - is considered all in a
nights work. You won’t believe the terrain these guys can cross – at
great speed in the dark – while carrying stolen kit.   Puts our trail
runners to shame.

Pretty lucrative too, we have worked out. Two or three laptops in a
week = a few thousand ‘commercial ront’. Add to this a few cell phones
- which lets face it, we all leave lying around on the dining room
table (right?) - and you have a really good business going. One flat
screen TV and your Christmas bonus is secured. Why work on a
construction site?  For a scummy labour broker nogal, and for less
than 100 ront per day.  Forget that!

And who’s  gonna catch you?  Not SAPS. Not TMNP. Not ADT. Maybe your
friendly Neighbourhood Watch guys. Maybe the Mountain Men….  Maybe…
But the chances are very, very slim and even if you do get caught, you
got options:  you can buy your docket, pretend to be someone else,
escape, turn state witness, get out on bail countless times or even
(if you are seriously desperate) …  become a politician!  Or choose
all of the above.  Sigh!

What can we do?   Secure our boundaries – layer by layer, install a
safe room, have a plan for when they come, program your phone with all
the numbers, join your local Neighbourhood Watch, learn some
recognition skills (they are watching you all the time), meet your
local sector police commander (quite nice guys I found), pass on
information regarding suspicious behaviour, write to your Ward
Councillor (ag shame, they always look like rabbits in the
headlights), write to your MEC, MP, ABC, XYZ, report stuff to crime
watch, get involved, become a policeman.   Lots we can do. Just don’t
give up.

I thought I’d stick this out there tonight and see what people
think.
(and in case you thought this web site was defunct)

Andre