Police impersonator gang ransacks Bluff home

A HOUSE ROBBERY on the Bluff has left a resident shaken and traumatised.

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, is still reeling from the shock following the ordeal in which at least one of the seven robbers posed as a policeman.

He appeals to other residents to be vigilant and extra cautious as other robbers in the group posed as construction workers tending to the fibre installation trenches.

He said the men parked their cars, two Golf 7 GTIs and a Corolla Quest, in the vicinity of his home about 6am on Wednesday, 14 April.

“Since the installation of fibre cables throughout the Bluff, it is hard to distinguish who is a worker and who isn’t. These men were busy doing something on the trench when my neighbour walked past them at about 6.30am.”

 

“She thought nothing of it but noticed that they were dressed quite neatly to be doing construction work. They all had boots on and one had a reflector vest on. Two were inside the Golf 7 GTI while the rest were in the other cars. In total there were about seven men,” he said.

The resident said one of the robbers was in a full police uniform while the rest had masks with police badges on. Their cars were also unmarked.

“My gate has gaps on it and so it’s possible to see inside the yard. As I was making my way out of the house, they could see me jump into my bakkie and reversing to leave. As the gate was opening, one car drove in and jammed me. I was shocked. They jumped out and I saw that they had police masks on, I assumed it was the police,” he said.

The men told the resident that they were looking for somebody and he told them that that person did not live there. They then asked to be taken inside as they were looking for that particular person.

 

He was shocked and unsure of what to do. They asked him to drive in and as he was doing so, the other two cars drove in. They all alighted.

“At this point, I thought they were undercover police officers and chose to comply. I found it a bit strange when they started grabbing my hands and demanding that I take them inside.”

 

“One of them went to the back of the house. My neighbour who witnessed everything happening said she saw one of them frantically searching inside my bakkie.”

As they made their way inside the house three of the men went running into the house. Inside, they demanded to be taken into my bedroom.

They made me lie face-down on the floor and used a wire coat hanger to tie my hands up and forced me to look down. Every time I tried to look up, they would hit and tramp on me. They asked for the safe, money, firearm and jewellery.

I complied. They proceeded to break the safe off the wall because my wife keeps the password and I could not give them because I really don’t know it. They also took jewellery, money, the firearm and most of my clothes and shoes.”

The resident said the robbers came with sacks and packed whatever they could into them. Although items removed had not been fully accounted for, he said most valuables were taken.

 

After the men were done ransacking the house, they started to change clothes and left. They asked for the keys to the gate and took off. The resident stayed inside for a while before going outside to seek help from neighbours.

Spokesperson for Brighton Beach SAPS, Captain Louise le Roux said a case is opened and under investigation.

“I can confirm that members of Brighton Beach SAPS Visible Policing, Detective Services and the station’s Crime Information Officer attended the scene of a house robbery that had occurred within the Bluff sector of our precinct.”

 

“A case of house robbery was registered and is being investigated. All leads are being followed and informers have been motivated,” she said.