A FAIRWAYS resident says she has been left traumatised after a break-in at her home recently.
Candice Cockcroft and her sister Jennifer Kristy were in the house when the incident occurred, however, they had no idea that the man was going through their belongings.
“My sister was in the home office, and I was in my room, lying down. My mom and grandmother had gone out for the morning. When they returned, they discovered that someone had been in the house,” said Cockcroft.
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The man gained entry through an open window. He entered Cockcroft’s grandmother’s room and searched her drawers and her handbags which were hanging on a hook.
“He stole my grandmother’s jewellery and her laptop which had sentimental value to her. The laptop was very old, but it had all her family photos on it, which were not backed up,” she said.
After viewing CCTV footage, Cockcroft discovered that the incident took place at about 09.30.
“The window doesn’t open that wide, so how he fitted through such a tiny gap remains a mystery. The scary thing is that my sister and I were in the house. Anything could have happened to us,” said Cockcroft.
After looking around the property, Cockcroft discovered that the man had also stolen copper pipes and a tap that was originally fitted when the house was first built. He also left behind a screwdriver.
“The house is several decades old, and that was the original tap fitted on the wall,” she said.
“I am grateful that my sister and I are safe, but it would be great if we could get back my gran’s laptop. On the device are years of memories stored in photographs,” she said.
Cockcroft posted footage and pictures of the man on the Durban North Residents Facebook page.
One person responded that the same man was in her living room recently, and he said that a man by the name of ‘Raj’ had sent him.
She said that although they were unharmed, she is traumatised by the ordeal.
“I live in fear; I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I lock my room because I am so scared that this will happen again, and that this time, I’ll be harmed,” she said.
