Maravi Express
While assuring residents of tight security in and around the Mzuzu City, the Police Station offers important security tips for their safety during the whole of this festive season, which apply across the country.
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“The festive season has come,” says the statement from Frederick Chande, Officer in Charge of Mzuzu Police Station. “This is the period Christians from all walks of life celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and a week later the beginning of a New Year.”
The Police urge the community to use the following security tips:
HOME SAFETY TIPS
* Make sure that the houses are not left unattended to and the one left to attend to the house must be of sound mind and not children;
* When leaving your house at night, make sure a reliable and mature person is left behind to take charge of the house;
* If possible, hire watchmen and must be energetic;
* It is advisable to walk in groups during old hours;
* Avoid seeking direction from unfamiliar faces;
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* Ensure that your valuable property (plasma television sets, home theaters, radios etc.) are not easily seen from outside to avoid attracting criminals;
* Fix your television sets to the wall to make it hard to possible thieves;
* At night, remove all valuable electronic items to the bedroom;
* Make sure you have enough security lights around your premises to
improve surveillance at night;
* Ensure that your house has strong doors, windows flames and burglar bars. Make sure the locking system is good all the time;
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* Be cautious with visitors;
* If possible, install in your house intruder alarms, these will alert you of any strange development;
* Keep contacts of police officers for rapid response in case of any attack.
CHILDREN SECURITY TIPS
* During this period children must not be allowed to move anyhow; their movements must indeed be monitored;
* They must not be left alone at home and we must not allow or send them to prone areas such as bottle stores/bars among others;
* Parents must also ensure that they report home in time;
* Never leave your children unattended especially a girl child;
* Make sure you leave your children in the care of the person responsible enough not to abuse them.
CASH SECURITY TIPS
* Do not display or show off how your cash holding in public, especially at drinking places;
* Keep cash at a workable minimum;
* Avoid keeping large sum of money in the house, make use of the bank;
* Avoid withdrawing cash at night, this can attract criminals;
* Do not carry cash in a bag that can attract attention and when you are travelling on foot and always observe who comes behind;
* Transfer cash to and from the vehicle in an enclosed yard.
VEHICLE SECURITY TIPS
* Ensure all doors and windows are securely locked when driving/parked;
* Always remove your key on the ignition when you leave the car, even if it is in the garage;
* Never leave valuables on visible places inside your car — including your car registration documents, cash, ATM cards, laptop etc;
* Do not offer lift to strangers especially at night;
* Fit car with anti-theft devices eg security alarm;
* Make sure you leave someone in your car when entering shops;
* Avoid being hired by two or more strange faces;
* Have an assistant driver especially at night;
* Put some unique identification marks on your car.
* Taxi drivers must inform their friends the destination and probable time of return.
ROAD SAFETY TIPS
* Check the condition of vehicle;
* Avoid driving whilst drunk;
* Do not attend to a mobile phone whilst driving;
* Do not over speed, always observe road signs;
* Both driver and passengers should tighten sit belt;
* Taxi drivers should avoid being hired by three or more strange faces.
* Have an assistance driver especially at night;
* Assistant driver to sit behind the driver so that he should be able to
observe the behavior of the passengers;
* Drivers to inform their friends the destination and probable time of return.
CYCLISTS
* Observe road signs;
* Pedal cyclists should cycle on the left side of the road;
* Should not carry a pillion passenger on the cross bar;
* Should wear a reflective jacket if at night and make sure a pedal or motor cycle has a blue light;
* Do not carry more than one passenger/pillion on the cycle;
* Both cyclist and passenger on a motor cycle should put on head gear for protection.
PEDESTRIANS
During this period, we experience traffic congestion in our roads pedestrians are therefore reminded the following:
* Should not play or run on the road;
* Should walk on the right side of the road to see the oncoming vehicles;
* When crossing the road make sure to look right, left then right and if no vehicle is coming, it’s time to cross;
Do not listen to ear phones when walking on the road.
LIVESTOCK SECURITY TIPS
By doing the following tips we can protect our stocks from theft:
* Marking of livestocks eg. painting.
* Make sure that our kraals are made with strong materials;
* Avoid moving with our livestocks without supportive documents;
* Avoid grazing in areas prone to stock theft;
* Make sure they are locked in at night;
* Keep security dogs;
* Tip the police of any suspicious person moving with livestocks.
