Resident strangled in Cowies Hill home invasion
The armed men forced the resident into the home and tied her up.
ARMED robbers struck twice in the Highway area, firing shots at police to evade arrest and attempting to strangle a resident in her home yesterday morning.
Blue Security’s community and media liaison officer, Andreas Mathios, said armed robbers ambushed a Cowies Hill woman in her garage in Birdhurst Road at around 7.45am yesterday. They forced her back into her home where they attempted to suffocate and strangle her.
“Three armed men wearing balaclavas and gloves tied her up, demanding to know where the safe was kept,” Mathios said.
“One of the suspects tried to suffocate and throttle the woman before they ransacked the house in search of valuables. They loaded laptops, cellphones, a television and other valuables into the resident’s vehicle and fled the scene,” Mathios said.
“She used her tongue to press a button and locked herself in the toilet until an armed response officer arrived. Fortunately, she was not seriously injured although Rescue Care paramedics attended to an injury to her finger,” Mathios said.
SAPS Westville attended the scene of the crime.
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Mathios said two suspects had also held up a Kloof resident and her friend in her Springdale home at around 8pm on Sunday evening.
“The resident arrived home from work and left the sliding door slightly open when two suspects walked into the house. They told her and her friend not to make a noise because they would not harm them and that they only needed money and car keys,” Mathios said.
The suspects stole a laptop, cellphone and tablet and fled in the resident’s company vehicle. It was later spotted in KwaDabeka by SAPS.
“When the police tried to stop the vehicle the suspects opened fire. The police fired back before the robbers jumped out and abandoned the vehicle,” he said.
The resident and her friend were not harmed during the home invasion.
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