THREE men were arrested in connection with house robbery, housebreaking and theft in three separate cases, after police linked them via fingerprints lifted at the crime scenes.
A 22-year-old man was arrested on Friday, 20 March for theft which occurred in October 2014 at about 1.30am in St Winifreds.
“The complainant was woken up by a dog barking outside. When he checked, he noticed two men carrying his television set. He shouted at them which made them drop the TV, damaging it beyond repair,” said Toti SAPS communications officer, Capt Charlene van der Spuy. The value of the television was R7,000.
The thieves fled on foot. According to investigating officer, W/O KD Zungu, fingerprints lifted from the television set linked the man to the theft. He was also wanted for a house robbery which occurred during June 2014 in Hibberdene on the South Coast. He appeared in Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 23 March.
In a second arrest also on Friday, 20 March, Toti detective, W/O Zungu linked a 23-year-old man via fingerprints to a house robbery which occurred in a complex in St Winifreds on 5 August, 2013 at about 2.45am.
“Three men entered the residence by forcing open a bathroom window. They were armed with knives. They stabbed the owner’s dog then proceeded to the main bedroom where they stabbed him several times. His son was woken up by his parents screams and ran into their bedroom with a baseball bat. He managed to hit one of the assailants when all three turned on him, assaulting him too,” said Van der Spuy.
The owner sustained stab wounds to the lower abdomen, arm and back and was hospitalised. Their dog died.
The robbers took two Blackberry cellphones to the value of R2,500 and fled on foot.
The man appeared in Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 23 March and was charged with house robbery, attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.
In the third case, a man was arrested on Sunday, 22 March for housebreaking and theft which occurred in April 2014 in Amanzimtoti.
He forced open a garage door and stole various items to the value of R14,300. He was linked via fingerprints, arrested, and charged for housebreaking and appeared in Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 24 March.
