Security fears over estate agent campaign to photograph homes

East London residents, rattled by house burglaries, takes on issue with their homes being photographed without their know ledge.

They were referring to Pam Golding Properties’ annual campaign in which photographs of the exterior of residential properties are taken, affixed to calendars and delivered to property owners.

Pam Golding Properties East London principal Hanlie Bassingthwaighte said most homeowners were thrilled to receive the personalised calendars, but a recent Facebook exchange raised concerns that the unsolicited practice could compromise security.

Blue Bend resident Marius Labuschagne sparked the Facebook conversation by posting a CCTV photograph on the Beacon Bay Crime Board page, which he captioned “suspicious behaviour”.

The photograph shows a silver SUV outside his home on Monday.

Labuschagne said there were two men in the car and one was taking a photograph of his house.

Bassingthwaighte said this vehicle was not associated with her campaign.

“We finished photographing and distributing our calendars long ago, so that was not us,” she said.

Bassingthwaighte said the public relations campaign, which photographs 15000 homes every year in the city’s central suburbs, began in September and ended in January when the last magnetised calendars were delivered.