WATCH: Tailgating incident in North Beach which nearly ended in theft

There is CCTV footage taken from a block of flats on Sol Harris Crescent showing criminals attempting to tailgate and enter the property. Screenshot

There is CCTV footage taken from a block of flats on Sol Harris Crescent showing criminals attempting to tailgate and enter the property. Screenshot

Published Nov 15, 2021

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DURBAN - BOSS UIP Security Specialists has urged North Beach residents in Durban to be vigilant when entering or leaving their residence following a tailgating incident in the area last week.

A CCTV video recording shows that the incident took place last Thursday (November 11) about a minute after 7pm.

In the 1 minute 40 second video, a car is seen exiting a block of flats, but because the car did not wait for the gate to close, a man is seen stopping the gate just seconds before it closes. The man then casually walks into the property followed by a vehicle which stops along the gate track to keep the gate from closing. The man appears to be looking around for items to steal, however, someone from the property approaches, there is a brief exchange of words and the man enters the vehicle and they drive off.

“This CCTV footage taken from a block of flats on Sol Harris Crescent shows criminals attempting to tailgate and enter the property,” said BOSS UIP founder and owner Raz Ali.

“Tailgating (also known as piggybacking) is one of the most widespread security breaches affecting residents and businesses today and it often goes undetected. Tailgating can be simply described as the passage of unauthorised personnel, either forced or accidental, behind that of an authorised user.”

Ali urged residents to check that gates are properly closed before they drive off.

“In this instance, thankfully the men were intercepted on time.”

“We urge residents to be on high alert as we head into the festive season and urge residents to take extra caution. Be aware of your surroundings and brighten up your driveway as much as possible,” Ali said.

This is how some Facebook users responded after seeing the video:

Shannon Naidoo: “Lucky here at Summer Sands we always have a guard stationed (at) our Main Gates. Will share this with our security company to (be) more vigilant. Thanks Boss UIP”

Tanya Mattinson: “We usually try (to) wait till the gate is closed all the way for this exact reason”

In a Twitter post, Crime activist Yusuf Abramjee, gave the following safety tips:

  • Vigilance when entering and leaving through either the front or back parking gates is important;
  • Observe your surroundings before entering, for your own safety; and
  • After driving out, ensure that the gate closes properly before leaving.

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