A study of home invasions from the University of South Africa.

Very interesting! 97% of the perpetrators are armed and our government wants to ban private ownership of firearms!

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BE VIGILANT AND SAFETY CONSCIOUS - IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Dr. Rudolph Zinn of the School of Criminal Justice at UNISA did intensive research on residential robberies and attacks, and interviewed many arrested and convicted robbers.

Some of his findings are alarming, some are surprising - but they are all well worth taking note of. Then make your own conclusion and beef up your security where necessary.

During the past year, house robberies increased by 13,5%.
Of the almost 15 000 residential robberies committed in 2008, half (50%) took place in Gauteng .

The average age of a house robber is between 19 and 26 years.
An average of 30% of all house robbers have either committed murder, or won't hesitate to commit murder.

Only 17% of house robbers are foreigners.

Of all arrested robbers, 90% had no matric or were unemployed. The 10% who had been employed, gave up their jobs when confirming how much they could "earn" from a robbery.

Most victims or targets are affluent persons who openly display their wealth, e.g. expensive cars, jewellery, up market homes.

Much intelligence is gathered about the target home and its residents by means of inside information supplied by domestic workers.

Eight out of ten residential robberies are committed with the help of information from domestic workers, gardeners and former employees.

The robbers will monitor the home and movements for as long as is needed to formulate a plan of attack - sometimes up to two weeks.

All gangs research and monitor the response times of armed response companies.

Most attacks occur between 19:00 and midnight as people are relaxed, busy cooking or watching TV, and the security systems and beams are not activated. But robberies continue until 04:00 in the morning.

The biggest deterrent confirmed by robbers themselves, are small dogs that are kept inside the home.

Alarm systems and armed reaction services are not considered a deterrent. Electric fences, closed-circuit TV (CCTV) and detection beams do, however, deter robbers.

An average of R5 000 is stolen during each robbery.
Surprisingly, victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents.

35% of robbers robbed for basic needs (hunger, poverty), while 65% enjoyed the money and spent it on clothes, cars, etc.

The average robber commits 103 robberies over seven years before being caught.

A staggering 97% of all robbers are armed, and on average there are four members in an armed robbery gang.

Most attackers' homes or bases are a 10 to 30 minute drive from the target address.

Women are more often tortured or hurt during house robberies.
The conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is only 7,67%. In the USA it is 53%.

While these statistics and facts may be disturbing, even alarming, UASA trusts that it may sharpen the vigilance of each member. If you have safety measures at your home, ensure that they are in place. Test your security equipment regularly... never be complacent and think that it only happens to other people.

It is in your own best interest rather to be safe than sorry!

I have seen no proof of my government wanting to ban private ownership of firearms, but whatever.

"The conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is only 7,67%. In the USA it is 53%."

Another comforting tidbit...



Oh, and there was this little gem buried in the article...

"Surprisingly, victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents. "

I wonder how that statistic would change if the robber knew the person had a gun... Nothing motivates a person like protecting their life... ESPECIALLY if the person has already committed murder or wouldn't hesitate to commit murder.....

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

"The conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is only 7,67%. In the USA it is 53%." .....

The conviction rate of all crimes throughout South Africa is 6%. Some area's however have a conviction rate of 1.5%

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

Another comforting tidbit...



Oh, and there was this little gem buried in the article...

"Surprisingly, victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents. ".....

Not completely true, if one takes into account farm attacks in rural area's, its rare anything is actually stolen, the farmer and his family are usually murdered, at times horrifically. On average (according to government figures) 55 people are murdered every day, other organisations quote 175 each and every day.

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

I wonder how that statistic would change if the robber knew the person had a gun... Nothing motivates a person like protecting their life... ESPECIALLY if the person has already committed murder or wouldn't hesitate to commit murder.....

Before the 1994 elections black South Africans were not allowed to own firearms, after 1994 there was a flood of gun applications from those living in townships. The murder and other crime rates dropped considerably (I cannot remember the exact figures) by around 60 to 70% within weeks.

Now because of the new gun laws, crime in townships (as well as other area's) is climbing again to an all time high.

A number of senior police officers throughout South Africa are being investigated for destroying case dockets in an attempt to show falling crime rates

An interesting site to show what the affect of the new guns laws have, google BGOASA (Black Gun Owners Association South Africa). BGOASA is not intended only for black gun owners or indeed South Africans. The organisation has attracted black and non black gun owners from the USA as well as other countries, all interested in RKBA.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

The conviction rate of all crimes throughout South Africa is 6%. Some area's however have a conviction rate of 1.5%

I'm only going off what the article said... My point was that clearly the US justice system (where I live) is doing a much better job than that of South Africa... A comforting thought to me.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

Not completely true, if one takes into account farm attacks in rural area's, its rare anything is actually stolen, the farmer and his family are usually murdered, at times horrifically. On average (according to government figures) 55 people are murdered every day, other organisations quote 175 each and every day.

Again, I'm only going off the article that 5.56 posted...

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

Before the 1994 elections black South Africans were not allowed to own firearms, after 1994 there was a flood of gun applications from those living in townships. The murder and other crime rates dropped considerably (I cannot remember the exact figures) by around 60 to 70% within weeks.

Now because of the new gun laws, crime in townships (as well as other area's) is climbing again to an all time high.

A number of senior police officers throughout South Africa are being investigated for destroying case dockets in an attempt to show falling crime rates

An interesting site to show what the affect of the new guns laws have, google BGOASA (Black Gun Owners Association South Africa). BGOASA is not intended only for black gun owners or indeed South Africans. The organisation has attracted black and non black gun owners from the USA as well as other countries, all interested in RKBA.

What happens when one fights fire with fire? You get a bigger fire....

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

What happens when one fights fire with fire? You get a bigger fire....

Or you snuff out the bigger fare by taking away fuel and air. It's called a back fire.

Sure, when it's put into place by professionals... But what happens when amateurs try and take care of things themselves?

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

Sure, when it's put into place by professionals... But what happens when amateurs try and take care of things themselves?

Here's the simple facts......which you will probably ignore.

The Police can't be everywhere all the time.

The Police are not responsible for your personal safety....all the time.

Without some means to defend yourself against an aggressive and focused attack, chances are your going to toe tag city before the first unit even arrives on scene. Part II Taking a Taser, Pepper Spray, baseball bat or butcher knife to a gun fight is stupid and a great way to get dead.

You are responsible for your own personal safety and security. You no one else. No goverment in the world has the funds to assign personel cop's or body guards to everyone.

So that leaves you with three options.

1. Defend yourself.

2. call 911, 999 whatever and hope that Officer Friendly arrives in time to keep Mr Antisocial from doing evil things to you and yours.

3. Run, give up, cry and plead for the lives of you and yours and hope Mr. Antisocial decides to spare you.

Oh and if something happens to you and yours and you don't think that the response by Law Enforcement was rapid enough......you can't sue the PD (IN THIS COUNTRY ANYWAY) The Supreme Court has already held that we are not responsible for your personal safety 24/7/365 you are.

As far as back fires, I've set a few in my life and I'm not professionally qualified as a Firefighter. It's pretty basic math and wind direction and common sense.

Originally Posted by 03USMC

Here's the simple facts......which you will probably ignore.

The Police can't be everywhere all the time.

The Police are not responsible for your personal safety....all the time.

Without some means to defend yourself against an aggressive and focused attack, chances are your going to toe tag city before the first unit even arrives on scene. Part II Taking a Taser, Pepper Spray, baseball bat or butcher knife to a gun fight is stupid and a great way to get dead.

You are responsible for your own personal safety and security. You no one else. No goverment in the world has the funds to assign personel cop's or body guards to everyone.

I never said that... I don't have a problem with people owning some weapons for their personal safety... What I have a problem with are those who own mini-armories because the 90 year old man who lives down the block and can't walk is going to break into his house and shoot him up good.

Originally Posted by 03USMC

So that leaves you with three options.

1. Defend yourself.

2. call 911, 999 whatever and hope that Officer Friendly arrives in time to keep Mr Antisocial from doing evil things to you and yours.

3. Run, give up, cry and plead for the lives of you and yours and hope Mr. Antisocial decides to spare you.

Oh and if something happens to you and yours and you don't think that the response by Law Enforcement was rapid enough......you can't sue the PD (IN THIS COUNTRY ANYWAY) The Supreme Court has already held that we are not responsible for your personal safety 24/7/365 you are.

As far as back fires, I've set a few in my life and I'm not professionally qualified as a Firefighter. It's pretty basic math and wind direction and common sense.

Again, I'm not saying you can't have any sort of firearm on you to defend yourself against an attacker, but (and this is probably the 100th time I've said this in the EXACT SAME ARGUMENT) there are limits that should be put into place...

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

I never said that... I don't have a problem with people owning some weapons for their personal safety... What I have a problem with are those who own mini-armories because the 90 year old man who lives down the block and can't walk is going to break into his house and shoot him up good.

Again, I'm not saying you can't have any sort of firearm on you to defend yourself against an attacker, but (and this is probably the 100th time I've said this in the EXACT SAME ARGUMENT) there are limits that should be put into place...

Then perhaps you need to qualify your feelings with some statements.

Originally Posted by Rob Henderson

"
"Surprisingly, victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents. "

I wonder how that statistic would change if the robber knew the person had a gun... Nothing motivates a person like protecting their life... ESPECIALLY if the person has already committed murder or wouldn't hesitate to commit murder.....

Because this supports your oft repeated stance that if the victim is unarmed they are better off.

So pick a damned side.