Crime

This is not to scare you. We are vigilant. We just want to be sure that we and the other missionaries of the world are not forgotten in your prayers.

This was an email received today from our local Area Presidency Office:
(Quote): It seems like every other month we get some new study which shows that crime is going down, then up, then down again. This one now shows it going up. There are some good suggestions here for avoiding hijacking. I am going to change practice and not pull over to the side of the road to take a cell phone call. If Sister Fee (wife of writer) cannot handle the call for me while I am driving, we will just have to contact the person at another time. Another point: As I approach the garage door for Dukes Court (where we live), I try to open the door as far in advance as possible, I slow down approaching the door so that I am not stopped in front of the door while it is still opening. Additionally, I scan the area visually to see if there is anyone behind the wall, in the bushes, etc. Just some thoughts from someone who has never been hijacked. Elder Fee (Executive Secretary to Area Presidency)

SOUTH AFRICA: Carjacking Report Highlights Danger Zones
A carjacking is 10 times more likely to occur outside one’s house than outside the workplace, a recent survey concluded. The second-biggest risk, at 10%, was for drivers sitting in parked cars waiting for other people or talking on a cell phone. According to police statistics released in July, violent crime is on the rise. Murder and aggravated robbery such as carjacking and robbery at residential and business premises rose, despite the rise in the police budget in the past year. The province hardest hit by organized crime is Gauteng(this is the province in which the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria are found). The survey found the carjacking risk to be greater at traffic lights, stop signs, and yield signs than at businesses, where 5% of hijackings took place. About 4% of those interviewed were forced off the road by decoys, or hijacked while taxis (these are the local mini-buses or 14 passenger vans referred to locally as kombies) were loading passengers, and 3% were hijacked while using a phone booth or leaving shops. Of those interviewed, 2% were hijacked while unloading goods or working on the side of the road. (Source: Business Day)Business Day Comment: Recommendations from the survey include a long list of tips for homeowners to reduce their risk, such as always having their keys ready, having a light on at home when returning after dark, to be aware of suspicious vehicles or people when approaching driveways, and to avoid driving into a property if unsure of anyone in the vicinity.