Link to Alwinco’s full Newsletter – Crime Didn’t Take a Holiday: January Has Proven This Again
Every January the same uncomfortable truth emerges.
Crime surges after the December holiday period, losses mount, and the same questions return. Despite living in the twenty-first century with access to advanced technology, South Africa continues to lose the war against crime. Housebreakings, hijackings, kidnappings, and murders follow a familiar pattern. The belief that “it will not happen to me” remains deeply rooted among homeowners and business owners, leading to poor planning, underused technology, and repeated mistakes. Crime does not take a holiday, yet responsibility and preparation often do.
The technology to monitor and manage security exists and can be accessed from anywhere, but it is rarely used to its full potential.
Many attempt last-minute, cosmetic solutions before going on holiday, which almost always fail. Security cannot be improvised. Everyday crime, property hijacking, compromised access control, and careless behavior, such as displaying new purchases outside a property, continue to create opportunities for criminals. The damage goes beyond what is stolen. The psychological impact on families and businesses is severe, and the consequences of neglect are long-lasting. Crime adapts like a living organism, blending in and erupting without warning, making it dangerous, unpredictable, and relentless.
The common thread is a lack of planning and willpower.
Most people have never had a proper security risk assessment to understand where opportunities for crime lie. A security risk assessment identifies risks and provides a clear path to address them. Modern security systems warn, record evidence, and, for businesses, provide valuable management information. The advice for 2026 is simple. First, arrange an independent security risk assessment. Second, consider a proper advanced driving course as a meaningful and potentially life-saving gift. If you understand your risks, you can take the right steps to protect your life, your family, and your business.
Article written by Andre Mundell.
Disclaimer: we use AI generated images