A LOCAL security company has reported a surge in house robberies across the Durban area this week.
A Hillcrest resident was tied up, gagged and robbed on Monday after she confronted an intruder who scaled an electric fence from a neighbouring property.
“Blue Security reaction officers responded to a panic alarm and arrived at the scene to be met by the resident who reported that she had been robbed by a suspect working alone,” said Blue Security community and media liaison officer, Andreas Mathios.
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The resident reported that she first saw the intruder on the neighbour’s driveway, and after noticing the wire and electric fencing shaking, she went to investigate.
The robber is believed to be in his late 20s.
“The resident was pushed into the cottage, where the suspect demanded valuables before tying her hands with shoelaces and wire. The suspect also demanded the keys to a vehicle that was parked on the property but returned saying they were the incorrect ones,” he said.
He fled in an unknown direction with a laptop, two hard drives, cash and jewellery.
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In a separate incident a gang of five men grabbed a domestic worker in Westville while she was sweeping outside the gate.
“When the resident saw the commotion, as the gang pushed the domestic worker up the driveway, he called to his son who then screamed at the suspects,” he said.
“The men immediately let go of the employee and rushed back to their awaiting dark-grey Jetta, which was parked in front of the property.”
The suspects fled, no-one was injured and Westville SAPS attended the scene.
Another incident was also reported in Morningside where three men jumped over a wall and held up a resident at gunpoint while robbing him.
The gang fled in a dark-grey Jetta with two TVs, three laptops, three cellphones and jewellery.
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Although a connection is not yet confirmed, Mathios said it is believed the the same gang was involved in both cases.
In a fourth incident on Monday, a bank card was stolen from a member of the public while he was at an ATM inside a Kloof supermarket.
“A male suspect distracted the victim before stealing his bank card and fleeing in a silver Toyota Etios. The getaway vehicle also had four female passengers,” Mathios said.
Money was withdrawn from the victim’s account before preventative steps could be taken.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
