[I am going to add my comments. I don’t necessarily believe everything said below. Jan]

Very important to know for your security at home…

Palisade fencing – A normal car jack is being used to open and thus separate the vertical bars on palisade fencing thus allowing criminals to walk through fencing and remove objects or prepare cars for hijacking.
Jan: Ok, this makes sense.

Electric fencing – It’s simple. Take a length of wood with two nails attached, push it through two wires, and voila, the current is re-directed causing no harm to the criminal but does in fact damage and disable your electric fence which inevitably still costs you in repairs. Another method of deactivation is by jumper cables. Simply redirect current and the result is – No alarm. Sadly in so many instances where people have electric fencing, they don’t even activate the fences. The criminals know this.

Jan: The wood one doesn’t make sense to me, unless I misunderstand it. Current can’t flow through a piece of wood – so how is current being redirected? Jumper cables makes sense… but one could also keep an eye open for anyone walking around jumper cables! That would be a dead giveaway.

To disable a motorized gate – simply pour petrol over it and set alight. This allows for the gate to be moved open without too much difficulty and don’t be surprised at how easily your car was removed.

Jan: Will that really work? Doesn’t the gate lock? Even if the motor can’t work, surely the gate still can’t move?

The best part is this – The very latest trend is to place a burning CD in an open window of a home. The toxic fumes serve to drug the inhabitants. The effects are very deep sleep to awaken a few hours later, feeling very drowsy. Whilst asleep, the criminals have free access and reign to everything in your home. The terrifying part is that you cannot even protect yourself. You simply go to sleep.
It is important that we know how these crimes are committed. Remember crime is very big business in South Africa. Forewarned is forearmed.

Jan: We’ve discussed the burning CD and toxic gas concept before. Perhaps someone should take a CD and set it on fire and see if it makes you go to sleep. This could also be nonsense. If anyone has firm answers to any of the above – I’d appreciate it. Any security guys out there?

I don’t want to spread FEAR needlessly either… ergo I am skeptical how true some of the above methods are.