How Criminals Survey Estates
Security risk assessment Estates. What approach do criminals use when scoping out high-value residential estates? There are many factors to consider: the profile of the criminal, the level of estate security, and the origins of these individuals.
To understand this, we need to see estates through the eyes of a criminal. When residents look at their estates, they feel secure, believing they live in a ‘guarded’ neighborhood where crime isn’t a concern. Such confidence often leads to a sense of complacency, which works to the criminals’ advantage.
When a criminal observes a 200-home estate, they see a treasure trove: approximately 200 vehicles, 400 cell phones, 400 computers, and 200 flat-screen TVs—assuming each household has just one of each. Add to this jewelry, cash, bank cards, tablets, and numerous other valuables. It’s easy to see why one criminal likened a residential estate to a “picnic basket”—once inside, they feel free to take their pick.
Residents are Their Own Worst Enemy
Criminals know that estate residents often let down their guard, failing to lock cars, garages, and windows. Neglecting security protocols often leads to easy opportunities for break-ins. And it’s not only outside criminals eyeing the estates; some potential offenders live inside, subtly observing their neighbors’ routines and spotting easy targets.
The Crime Triangle and Scoping
Crime thrives on opportunity, a concept reflected in the “crime triangle.” During the scoping phase, criminals actively look for weak points. Gaining access to an estate is only one step; an escape route is what they prioritize, given that many estates lack effective access controls and have minimal security measures in place.
Those scouting from outside usually target the main gate, which, as some sources describe, acts like the estate’s communication hub. One criminal even described pretending to wait near the gate just to eavesdrop on the guards’ conversations.
Criminals often take a slow and patient approach, cultivating a friendship with a dissatisfied security guard over time. By taking an interest in the guard’s life and job (without overtly discussing estate security), they establish a rapport, making it more likely for the guard to share critical information.
The “Buddy System”
Some guards may even allow friends to cover part of their shifts. It’s said that in estates without a dedicated security manager, residents’ lack of involvement with security staff enables easy substitutions.
Informants also note the vulnerability of estates relying on a single gate for all entries and exits. For a criminal, this setup reduces the need to monitor multiple access points; all they need to do is watch the one gate used by everyone, from police and security to delivery drivers and residents.
Access and Escape
For criminals, gaining access is often easier than planning the escape, which is crucial to avoid getting caught. Estates with poor access control or an insufficient number of guards present fewer obstacles. And while some estates have electric fences, these aren’t foolproof. Many criminals know they can test electric fences, sometimes finding them inactive or giving incorrect alarm signals.
Criminal Profiles and Motivations
Some criminals operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol, making them opportunistic. They’ll steal anything in easy reach—like items in unlocked cars—without extensive scoping. Hardcore offenders, however, may be more organized, occasionally attempting to breach gates and subdue guards in a direct approach. Although rare, such incidents are violent enough to make the news.
Planned crimes, including house robberies and hijackings, don’t always start at the estate. Criminals might first encounter their target in a shopping center, at a workplace, or a bank, then follow them home. The most ruthless criminals won’t bother with scoping; they’ll hold a guard at gunpoint to gain immediate entry.
Threats from Within
Crime doesn’t always come from outside. Offenders might already be living within the estate, monitoring neighbors for unlocked doors, open windows, or vacated homes. Known informally as “Springboks,” these are typically young offenders, ages 17 to 32, who may live with relatives or friends in the estate. Their familiarity with the neighborhood allows them to appear as helpful residents while they scout potential targets.
These individuals blend in, walking their dogs or chatting with neighbors, noting opportunities to return later. Their goal is to exploit residents’ routine vulnerabilities.
In Summary
Whether criminals come from inside or outside, experienced or opportunistic, they all share a skill for spotting security risks and opportunities. Much of estate crime, however, doesn’t stem from sophisticated scoping tactics alone but from lapses in security and residents’ own complacency, negligence, and general unawareness.
Written by Andre Mundell. # Security risk assessment Estates
Our independent security consultants cover a wide footprint in South Africa, including Gauteng (Pretoria, Braamfontein, Midrand, Sandton, and Menlo Park), Fichardt Park, Durban, and Cape Town.