BLUE Security has warned residents and business owners to be vigilant following several brazen armed robberies and hijackings in the Highway area.
Darryn le Grange, managing director for the security company said five armed robberies and three hijackings were reported to the company recently.
le Grange said four armed robbers held up a Moseley Park resident at gunpoint after they jumped over her property gate in broad daylight one afternoon.
“The men, who were all wearing balaclavas, pounced on the resident while she was off-loading groceries. They fled with her handbag and wedding ring. There were no injuries,” said le Grange.
In another incident, relatives of a Highway resident were hijacked as they were leaving the property. “The hijacking occurred in Marianridge Drive in Caversham Glen where a gang of four armed men held up the resident’s relatives at gun point and fled in their Toyota Auris with their clothing, cellphones, cash and jewellery,” added le Grange.
“Four armed robbers held up staff at a business premises in Clark Road in Westmead in broad daylight and robbed staff of cellphones and jewellery, a laptop and cash. Meanwhile, A gang of three armed men driving a white Ford Focus followed a car into another business premises in Shepstone Road in New Germany. They held up the driver of the car at gunpoint, robbed him of cash and fled,” le Grange said.
He added that there had also been several contact crime attacks on residents in the Highway area. A gang of four men armed with screwdrivers cut the lock on the gate of a property in Churchill Road and held up the owner. “Unfortunately, the property door was open, making it easy for the gang to gain entry and rob the owner of a wallet, cellphone and television,” he said.
“In a separate incident four armed men hijacked a motorist at 9.45am outside his home in Lester Road in Pinetown and fled with an iPad, cellphone, keys, a toolbox and cash. A motorist in Laatz Close in New Germany was also hijacked and the car was later recovered in KwaDabeka,” said le Grange.
le Grange urges residents to reassess their home’s security needs and to consider minor improvements such as fitting a contact, connected to the house alarm, to the driveway gate and to ensure other weak points were covered.
“Adequate home security is about providing an early warning system to immediately alert you and your security company to the presence of intruders so that you can protect your family and your property from criminals,” said le Grange.
