WATERFALL residents Dawn Gadd (51) and her step-daughter, Taryn Gadd-Fox (28), were forced to fight for their lives when two men broke into their home in the Stonehurst complex on Kundalila Road at approximately 2am on Wednesday 27 November.
According to Dawn, their nightmare began when she was woken up by her Dachshund, Arnie, who kept jumping on to her bed and whining softly. She assumed that he wanted her to take him outside.
“As I got up I heard some rustling noises and remember thinking that there was probably a cat in my home. As I, half asleep, walked into our kitchen I found myself staring at a man standing in my kitchen with a stick. I was a bit taken aback at first and once I realised what was happening I asked him what he was doing in my home. He just stared at me, and I yelled, demanding to know why he was in my home. From the corner of my eye I noticed a second man wriggling in through the bottom of the burglar gate that had been bent. At that point the first man launched at me with the stick,” said Dawn.
Dawn reported that she managed to grab onto the weapon (a long and blunt wooden stick, riddled with rusty protruding nails) as her assailant attacked and a tug-of-war ensued.
“Somehow I slowly managed to push him back and to grab the stick from him. I then just started swinging the stick and hitting him with it, and they fled,” said Dawn.
After the burglars left Dawn ran to her room to get her cell phone to contact the authorities. Taryn, who had been sleeping in another room, had heard her mother’s screams and had got up to investigate. As she entered the kitchen she saw one of the robbers standing outside the gate. She screamed and grabbed a knife, which caused the men to flee again.
Taryn said, “My mum and I, thinking that the men had left, stood by the gate screaming for help, as my mum attempted to phone the police. To our horror the men returned, obviously realising that we were alone and vulnerable. They tried to yank the gate open and we stood on the inside, kicking and hitting them”.
According to Dawn, a neighbour reported seeing the burglars run right around their home. The neighbour activated his alarm, which caused the men to flee for the last time.
“I was so relieved. We had stood by the gate screaming and fighting with the men for over 20 minutes, and I honestly did not have much more strength left. I was at the point of giving up, although I knew in the back of my mind that if we allowed them to come into our home that they would smash us to bits to silence us,” said Dawn.
The only item stolen during the incident was Dawn’s cell phone. One of the burglars grabbed the phone from her hand while she and her daughter fought with them at the gate.
Police and other security services arrived on scene soon afterwards. The brave survivors told the Highway Mail that they are heavily bruised and sore after the ordeal, but are thankful to be alive. Both women have received counselling and medical attention.
The women also reported that they suspect the robbers had used whoonga or other drugs before breaking into their home. Taryn said, “They had these blank expressions, never said a word or showed any response when we hit or kicked them. It was like they did not feel anything”.
Steven King, of Waterfall Crime Watch and Secure Link, has urged residents to be extra vigilant, as there has been an increase in thefts and robberies, with the start of the festive season.
Lt France Mkhize, of Hillcrest SAPS reported that a case of house robbery was opened but no arrests have been made at the time of publication.
