Residential Robberies and Attack Statistics

On Thursday the 9th of July 2009 Jenny Crwys-Williams interviewed Dr. Rudolph Zinn on  Talk Radio 702.

Dr. Rudolph Zinn of the School of Criminal Justice at UNISA has done intensive research on residential robberies and attacks. Research involved interviewing convicted house robbers to gain insight into their modus operandi and also into how they chose their targets… JCW goes through some of Dr Rudolph Zinn’s very interesting findings!

Some of his results are alarming, some are surprising - but they are all well worth taking note of. Then draw your own conclusion and beef up your ideas and security where necessary.

• During the past year, house robberies increased by 13,5%.
• Of the almost 15,000 residential robberies committed in 2008, half (50%) took place in Gauteng.
• The average age of a house robber is between 19 and 26 years.
• An average of 30% of all house robbers have either committed murder, or won't hesitate to commit murder.
• Only 17% of house robbers are foreigners.
• Of all arrested robbers, 90% had no matric or were unemployed. The 10% who had been employed, gave up their jobs when confirming how much they could "earn" from a robbery.
• Most victims or targets are affluent persons who openly display their wealth, e.g. expensive cars, jewellery, up market homes.
• Much intelligence is gathered about the target home and its residents by means of inside information supplied by domestic workers.
• Eighty percent of residential robberies are committed with the help of information from domestic workers, gardeners and former employees.
• The robbers will monitor the home and movements for as long as is needed to formulate a plan of attack - sometimes up to two weeks.
• All gangs research and monitor the response times of armed response companies.
• Most attacks occur between 19:00 and midnight as people are relaxed, busy cooking or watching TV & security systems and beams are not activated. Robberies continue until 04:00 in the morning.
• The biggest deterrent confirmed by robbers themselves, are small dogs that are kept inside the home.
• Alarm systems and armed reaction services are not considered a deterrent. Electric fences, closed-circuit TV (CCTV) monitored by guards and certain types of detection beams do, however, deter robbers.
• An average of R5,000 is stolen during each robbery.
• Surprisingly, victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents.
• Only 35% of robbers stole for basic needs (hunger, poverty), while 65% enjoyed the money and spent it on clothes, cars, etc.
• The average robber commits 103 robberies over seven years before being caught.
• A staggering 97% of all robbers are armed and on average there are four members in an armed robbery gang.
• Most attackers' homes or bases are a 10 to 30 minute drive from the target address.
• Women are more often tortured or hurt during house robberies.
• The conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is only 7.67%. In the USA it is 53%.

It is in your own best interest rather to be safe than sorry!