Your domestic worker or gardener can be a great ally in your fight against crime in your suburb. They tend to spend a lot more time at your property during daytime than you do and often become aware of potential security problems before you do.

With a little bit of training your domestic worker could become a great security partner for you, thus making your home environment safer.

But how do you get them truly on board and assist them in becoming vigilant, and in mustering up the courage to inform you of suspicious activities in the area?

Here are some suggestions:

• Engage with your domestic staff as they spend the most time at your home while you’re at work or away on holiday.
• Speak to your domestic staff – they know what is happening in the neighbourhood and they tend to share information with other domestic workers in the area.
• The SAPS generally offer free crime-related education to domestic workers.
• Ask your domestic staff to phone your security company or the police in your presence to make them feel part of the family. This will also make them proud that they are participants in the safety of your home and family.
• Allocate a different code from yours to your staff members, and advise the security company that when this code is given, you are not at home and they need to send a guard to your premises to check that all is ok. This would work for both emergencies and for general situations.
• Involve your domestic workers in discussions about safety procedures so that they can be the eyes and ears of what is happening in and around the neighbourhood.

Intimidation of domestic workers is a tactic that is often deployed by criminals. This involves threats to the domestic worker and their family. It is important that you keep an ear open for any signs that this could be the case, as this poses a serious threat to you.

Work with your domestic staff and keep each other safe.

If you are not sure how to take a pro-active approach in protecting yourself from criminals, please contact us straight away and we will be happy to share some additional tips with you.