Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa November 2014 | Page 51

managing

Shopping Mall

Security
T

he Consumer Goods Council of South Africa’s
Crime Risk Initiative (CGCRI) has taken
action with regard to the recent spike in armed
robberies aimed at retailers. Retail outlets which are
affected include jewellers and cell phone stores, situated
within shopping centres. The CGCRI is a business
unit within the CGCSA specialising in reducing crime
vulnerabilities of its members across the retail industry.
Year-on-year incidents of crime at shopping centres
have increased by 13%. According to information
reported to the CGCSA over the past year, 33% of all
shopping centre robberies involved cash, whilst 19% of
the robberies targeted cell phone stores. The remainder
of the incidents targeted jewellery, tobacco and liquor
stores.
Hotspots
Gauteng is the highest targeted province with 51% of
the reported incidents, followed by the Western Cape
with 20% and KZN with 10% of the incidents reported
to CGCSA. The remaining reported incidents occur in
the other provinces, with Northern Cape being the
least targeted.
“The dramatic increase in cell phone related armed
robbery is worrying,” said Dr Graham Wright, head of
the CGCRI. “This shift of focus to cell phone stores
requires greater focus on risk mitigation measures,
security standards and best practises. Through the
collection and analysis of crime information, the
CGCRI formulates relevant best practises aimed at
assisting retailers in mitigating crime incidents. Having
an overall pi