Robber demands R10,000 from 84-year-old woman
"He told me he was not a killer, he just wanted money"
Lorraine and wife Ellen Kritzinger have been residents of Ladysmith for longer than most can remember.
The elderly couple have been regulars in our newspaper for years, with feel-good stories including anniversaries and birthdays…
However, on Monday morning, they became a crime statistic. Well, to be more precise, Mrs Kritzinger did.
The 84-year-old was at home alone.
“My husband went to town to pick up some things for us and I stayed at home. All the security gates were locked, but the kitchen door was unlocked. I was carrying on with my usual chores when I heard the kitchen door open. I thought my husband had left something behind and had come back to fetch it. After a while, I went to investigate.”
Mrs Kritzinger had the shock of her life when she saw a strange figure snooping around in the kitchen.
“I asked him: Who sent you? He replied that he wanted money. I asked him how much he wanted, to which he replied R10,000. No one keeps that kind of money lying around in the house, I told him. When I turned away from him, he came from behind and grabbed me. He told me he was not a killer, he just wanted money.”
Mrs Kritzinger then told him she would give him whatever she had. “I gave him what we had and told him it was all we had.
The robber thanked her for the money.
Before he left, I asked him how he managed to get into the house. He took me to the security gate and with great pride showed me the small gap between the gate and the door frame. He then wormed his way out to demonstrate how he had gotten in.”
Talking afterwards, she explained, “While it may sound like I was cool and calm throughout the whole ordeal, it was a divine calmness that came over me.”
No arrests have been made as yet.
Police spokesperson Captain Charmaine Struwig stressed that no possessions are as valuable as your life. “It is always advisable to stay calm and co-operate.”
She warns that people should not get complacent with their current security measures. “You have to critically evaluate your security. Criminals adapt their methods to gain access to homes. They keep evolving and so should your security methods. It is important to have deterrents. The fence outside your yard, dogs, security gates, alarms, locks. These are all barriers that keep your family safe.”
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