An elderly woman at a retirement village in Linden was robbed in her home by two people pretending to be in need of the toilet on 12 June.
Helen Segel said an Afrikaans speaking man and woman knocked on her door, and the man told her that he desperately needed to use the bathroom, he claimed to have a runny tummy.
“This is exactly the same incident that happened to another lady around the area. These two people come into your house and say they need to use your loo and they rob you blind. Fortunately, they did not take my money but they stole all my jewellery,” Segel added.
According to the 86-year-old, her neighbour’s domestic worker said the pair were travelling in a very old Toyota with registration from Mpumalanga. She added that they presumably target old people, because previous victims were also senior citizens.
“They know what they are doing because the woman will sit and chat with you while the man ransacks the bathroom.” She continued, “And they know that old people often live alone and are home during the day.
“It doesn’t bring those items back but I had a wedding ring I got from my father, and now I will never get it back.”
Segel added that while the police were very helpful, the incident has made her paranoid and took her sense of security away.
Comment from Linden Police is awaited.
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