HIGH WALLS OF HORROR
Burglars beat suburban fortification
A CRIMINOLOGIST has one response to the newly released crime rates showing a spike in serious crime: walls must fall.
Professor Monique Marks of the Urban Futures Centre at the Durban University of Technology says that since 1994 walls have become an intrinsic part of suburban life.
But her research indicates that solid, high walls do not deter criminals or offer an advantage in personal security.
In fact, fortified homes provide a haven for criminals, who cannot be seen or monitored once they enter the premises.
Many in the security industry agree, saying that high walls are “a policing nightmare”.
Crime statistics released last week showed that South African homes are targeted by criminals with alarming frequency.
In the 2015-16 year, 250 606 house burglaries were recorded in South Africa, which was fewer than in the year before but still came to a daily average of about 686.
In the same period, house robberies, which are house invasions in which people are confronted in their homes, came to 20 819, or a daily average of 57.
Marks worked alongside Chris Overall, a former metro policeman and now eThekwini municipal consultant in the safer cities department, as well as senior managers in the private security industry.
The research involved comparing two suburbs: the lowermiddle-class Umbilo, where homes have mainly low or no walls, and the affluent Westville, with predominantly high, solid walls.
It was found that the security industry viewed Umbilo on the whole as far safer than the highwalled Westville.
And while some may argue that Westville residents have more to steal, Blue private security company operations manager Brian Jackson said crime was not restricted to a particular class of suburb.
“Whether it be electronics, FALSE SECURITY: High walls do not necessarily make homes more secure as burglars and house robbers climb over them and can then operate unseen from the street
Not just one thing but a number of endeavours will achieve results
SIMPLY SAFER: Sean Cripps, like most of his neighbours in Umbilo, Durban, has low fencing and walls to keep his dogs in — and not much of a problem with intruders jewellery or firearms, everyone has what everyone wants,” said Jackson.
Marks’s research found that creating isolated islands can lead to results that are the opposite of what homeowners were hoping for.
“The majority of houses that were the target of more serious crimes were ones with high walls and solid gates,” she said.
Jackson said that before Marks approached them, his company’s belief from a policing point of view was that high walls had always created a barrier.
“But we hadn’t thought much about it from the crime side of things,” he said.
Jackson said it soon became clear to him that high, solid structures did not really deter criminals.
“What does seem to make a difference is allowing for natural surveillance. In other words, erecting barriers, like palisade fencing, and using technology like beams, but ensuring that people can see in and you can see out without obstruction.”
According to Gareth Newham, head of the governance, crime and justice division at the Institute for Security Studies, it is well documented that “crime prevention through environmental design” cuts the risk of residents being targeted.
“If you can be seen by other people at multiple points, you may reduce certain types of crime. However, studies of crime prevention show that it is not just one thing but a number of endeavours that will achieve results.”
The main message coming from private security firms and community policing forums around the country is: know your neighbours.
Anthony Modena of the Sandton Community Police Forum believes that high walls are no more or less a risk than any other method of securing the home, and that working as a community is the answer.
“The walls that need to be taken down are socioeconomic ones,” said Modena. “We need to grow the economy and create work. That will bring down the crime rates. It’s about how we as communities collaborate.”
Mike Voortman is chairman of Constantia Valley Watches Association in Cape Town, which covers about 28 000 properties and involves 10 neighbourhood watches.
Their association was a “solid working model of community co-operation”, he said.
“We have a community radio network that a diverse group have access to — neighbourhood
Where there is no good crime watch, houses are easy pickings
watch patrollers, school guards, shopping centre control rooms, policing precincts and seven different armed response companies,” he says.
It is Voortman’s view that crime reduction depends on both deterrence and prevention.
“High walls mean nothing to these guys.
“You need visible policing, clever use of technology and community involvement. Where there is no good crime watch, houses are easy pickings.” Comment on this: write to tellus@sundaytimes.co.za or SMS us at 33971 www.sundaytimes.co.za