RESIDENTS escaped several brazen home invasions without injury over the past week according to Blue Security’s latest crime report.
Blue Security operations manager Brian Jackson said armed gangs had targeted residents and a security guard in three daylight robberies within a three day period.
Jackson said in the latest incident three armed robbers invaded a home in Kinmont Road in Carrington Heights at 2.40pm on Saturday.
“The gang arrived in a white VW Polo with no registration plates and derailed the driveway gate before forcing open the front door. The robbers held the domestic worker up at gun-point and ripped out the alarm system before fleeing with two televisions. The domestic worker was not injured during the incident,” he said.
Jackson said a gang, driving a white VW Golf 5, had held up a security guard at a block of flats in upper Berea Road at 7.09am on Saturday, but it was unclear at this stage whether it was the same gang.
“A gang of three men held up the security guard at gunpoint, forcing him to lie on the ground while they stole security cameras and the hard drive from the guard room. The gang then stole a car belonging to one of the residents and fled the scene,” he said.
Jackson said the third armed robbery was reported in Glenville Grove in Glenwood at 2.29pm on Thursday.
Two armed men held a couple up at gunpoint before fleeing with a television and an iPad in the couple's vehicle. Mayville SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Jackson said apart from armed robberies, there was a spate of burglaries reported over the last week with at least 12 cases of business and residential housebreakings and theft reported from Morningside to Umbilo, excluding incidents of attempted housebreaking and trespassing.
“We urge residents to be vigilant and to regularly test their alarm systems and to consider installing external beams for an early warning system. Ideally, you want to be alerted to the presence of an intruder before he gets the chance to burst into your home as this gives you time to press your panic button and to get your family to a 'safe' room,” he said.
Jackson said the 'safe' room should be equipped with a spare cellphone and a spare remote panic button enabling residents to call for help in an emergency.
“If you do come face to face with armed robbers don’t be tempted to resist them, rather hand over your valuables, which are replaceable and prevent personal injury. Statistics show that residents who try to fight back are more likely to get hurt during a robbery,” he said.
