Robbery at house in Barberton on New Year’s morning
Three unknown suspects held the occupants hostage on January 1.
Three unknown perpetrators robbed a house in Bland Street, Barberton, on January 1.
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The three entered the home and demanded that everyone lie on the floor.
One of the robbers asked one of the victims if he loved his children, whereafter the robbers threw blankets over the minors. All the suspects wore gloves and balaclavas.
They stole six cellphones, a TV, an X-box, meat, alcohol, watches and a motor vehicle. They took the four adults’ bank cards and demanded the pins. At this stage it is unknown if any money was withdrawn from any of the accounts.
At around 01:30, Hi-Tech Barberton received a phone call informing them of the robbery. A Hi-Tech response car went to the house and it was established that no one was hurt or required medical treatment.
Rynard Deysel, the shift commander, and a response officer drove to Umjindi.
“We patrolled the area and searched for the stolen motor vehicle,” said Deysel.
After an unsuccessful search they went to the crime scence. Deysel conducted an inspection and photographed the scene.
The Umjindi Community Patrol members spotted the stolen vehicle and chased it in their bakkie. Community patrol members said the vehicle drove recklessly and there were a lot of other vehicles on the road celebrating New Year in Extension 11. They decided to abandon the chase because it endangered other road users.
Cartrack used the tracker in the car to trace it, and the motor vehicle was found on January 2.
At the time of publishing no statement had been made by the SAPS.
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*This article has been amended. Mpumalanga News had previously said the Barberton Community Watch spotted the vehicle, however, it was the Umjindi Community Patrol that spotted the vehicle. “
