PERCY Shangase is at his wit’ s end after his Glenhills home was broken into for the fourth time by thieves. In the latest theft, his 10-year-old son, was left so traumatised by the incident that he was not able to speak for an entire day due to the shock. Shangase, who is an amputee, said he felt helpless and vulnerable after the brazen theft.
The Cranberry Grove resident recounted how two men had stolen a Galaxy tablet and his cell phone while he was at home on election day on Wednesday afternoon.
“I have a number of garden beams around the house, as well as razor wire and electrified fencing. The thieves leopard crawled under the beams and got to my bedroom window. They were able to lever open our aluminum windows while we were watching news about the elections and pinched both items which were on our dresser charging. My wife just saw a hand poking through the window; then the thief and his accomplice snatched the phone and tablet and bolted.
His son, a Glenashley Preparatory School pupil, who is on crutches due to weakening of the muscles in his leg, tried to get to his sister’s room but fell in the ensuing chaos.
“In our panic my wife screamed for help and I was shouting at the men, my son, who was watching TV in the lounge, grabbed his crutches and tried to get to his sister’s room because he was so scared. Unfortunately he fell down and he went into a state of paralysis. After the theft and wouldn’t speak or eat. It was only the day after that he began to start talking again.
“Material possessions don’t matter to me, but the safety of my family does. I’m just so sick and tired of crime and criminals. I’ve taken every possible step to protect my house but this is now the fourth time these guys, who are using the sugar cane fields behind us to escape through. This is the fourth time we have been targeted in a short space of time,” he said.