The South African Red Cross Society is a non-profit organisation which renders services to the most vulnerable of communities.
However, the Germiston branch of the Red Cross Society has had a major setback in their relief efforts following a business robbery last weekend.
“After a successful fund-raiser last Saturday we closed and locked our offices for the evening,” explained Germiston Red Cross manager Barbara Jensen.
“Nothing was out of place, the alarm was on and everything was fine.”
Sadly this was not the case last Sunday morning when the offices were opened.
“Our financial team came in early to work on our year-end financials and discovered we’d been robbed,” Jensen said.
“They immediately called me and I came straight to the office.”
ALSO READ: Men found with white substance believed to be drugs
Jensen further explained that she had received a notification that the organisation’s alarm had gone off a few minutes after midnight.
“I get an SMS notification when the alarm is triggered, but I only saw the message in the morning,” she said.
The team, while assessing the extensive damage caused in the robbery, checked the CCTV footage.
“On the footage, before the camera was ripped off the wall, you could see the perpetrators using a grinder to grind through a security gate.
“They knew exactly what they were doing and exactly where they were going,” said Jensen.
The criminals gained entry to the property through the roof.
“I believe they lay in the roof till our security company’s response team had left, as they did come to the scene when the alarm was tripped,” explained Jensen.
“They left when they couldn’t find anyone.
“What also makes me believe they hid in the roof is that on the camera footage they only begin ‘working’ at around 2am, when the alarm was tripped just after midnight.”
ALSO READ: Man arrested following alleged Pretoria Road assault
The thieves made off with an undisclosed amount of money, two laptops, an external hard drive and other smaller items.
They also damaged the organisation’s phones and destroyed the alarm system and safe.
“As the banks were closed when we finished last Saturday’s fund-raiser we hadn’t had a chance to bank the money and it was in the safe.
“Normally we would never have large amounts of money on site,” explained Jensen.
“On top of the money we worked so hard to raise we lost a large amount of data, which was on the laptops and external hard drive.
“Yes, we can replace the hard drive and laptops but not all the data.”
The robbery is a massive blow for the Germiston Red Cross.
“It is unbelievable,” said Jensen.
“We survive from minute to minute relying on fund-raising to help us provide many of the services we deliver.
“It really has been a terrible blow.
“I feel violated.”
The Germiston SAPS confirmed they are investigating a case of business break-in, but no arrests have been made to date.
For now all the Red Cross can do is try and pick up the pieces and carry on with their day-to-day activities.
If you would like to assist with a donation to help the organisation get back on its feet call Jensen on 011 873 9009.
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.zaor Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za
Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:
Or add the GCN on WhatsApp 079 406 1181 or BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137) today, to get all the latest news.
Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers Bedfordview Edenvale News, Alberton Record and Kempton Express.
