Elderly victim of White River robbery in hospital

A 75-year-old woman is recovering in hospital after being bound and beaten by a house robber on Sunday afternoon, February 19.

Lynn Jones is currently in the high-care unit in Kiaat Private Hospital. Her attacker has subsequently been arrested thanks to the quick response of Hi-Tech Security and the White River SAPS.

Jones’s brother, Eddie Botes, said her Kiaat Street home had been burgled just over a month ago while she was working in the garden.
He said in this most recent incident, “The robber had entered the property and broken into the shed that is connected to the house. He made a hole in its ceiling and then entered the home through the trapdoor in the passage.”

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Hi-Tech White River’s northern region operational manager, Lourens de Bruyn, said due to the burglary at Jones’s house earlier this year, a panic button had been installed in her home, with instructions to dispatch reaction officers to the house immediately if the button was pressed. He said the panic signal would also be sent to a friend of Jones’s.

Jones had been in the kitchen when the robber entered the home and first attacked her. He dragged her to the bedroom where he tied her up with extension cords that he found in the house, and continued to beat her.

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The pensioner was able to press the panic button, alerting her friend and Hi-Tech, who both met at the home a few minutes later.

“Her friend went to open the front door and the reaction officer went around the side of the house, where he saw the suspect exiting the back and jumping over the fence,” said De Bruyn.

“I was then called to the property and when I arrived, I spoke to one of Jones’s neighbours, who said he saw the suspect jump over a fence into an open field behind the house.

“I activated the rest of our officers and contacted the police. Together we blocked off the area with our vehicles and began searching. We found him. He still had Jones’s house keys and was arrested and taken into custody.”

De Bruyn said the robber had tried to steal a TV and more jewellery from Jones, but was interrupted by Hi-Tech and her friend.

Jones was first taken to Rob Ferreira Hospital, as she has no medical aid, and was later transferred to Kiaat.
Botes, his wife Shirley and Jones’s son Vaughn have been visiting her daily since the attack, and said her condition has improved greatly.

Meanwhile, the suspected robber made an appearance in the White River Magistrate’s Court on February 27. The man was denied bail.
White River SAPS’s spokesperson, Constable Funeka Mathebula, said at the time of going to press, she was still awaiting more information on the suspect’s identity and when he would next appear in court.