No one can miss the increase of crime in eMalalheni these days as robbers get more comfortable with their daily duties.
On July 14, Hoëveld Park was the target for armed robbers cruising through the streets looking for their next ‘job’. Unluckily, two teenagers and their neighbour’s house were on the suspects ‘to do’ list.
“It all happened in five to six minutes. They were so quick but it felt like a lifetime in my mind,” the 14-year-old victim started telling her story.
The brave young girl was busy doing washing when she saw the kitchen door open;
“I was a little bit confused because I did close the door as my sister left the house. I did not think anything funny because of my brother being at home with me. As I was closing the door an unknown, small built guy stepped in front of the door.”
It was at that moment when the intruder asked her in a strict manner,
“why didn’t you keep the doors closed and locked?”
She further alleged that she tried to get out of the suspects grip when another suspect appeared behind the first one,
“but he had a firearm pointed towards me,” she added.
What happened next left a cold feel of fear in this young girl’s soul when the two suspects demanded she go along with them to her sister’s bedroom.
“I can only imagine what went through her mind but still she remained calm,” the teenager’s sister, Me Boitumelo Sikhosana, said proudly of her younger sister.
While this incident was happening, Sikhosana’s 15 year old brother pretended to be asleep.
“I heard my sister making a humming sound and then I heard footsteps of more than one person. It was the moment I went into survival mode and did not move on the couch I was lying on,” he said.
The 14-year-old girl showing how the robbers demanded she go into the bathroom and sit in a corner. On July 14 two suspects robbed the Sikhosana family in Hoëveld Park.
The two suspects took the young girl into the bathroom and threw a pink gown over her.
“I could hear them fiddling in my sister’s room and then took off,” she said relieved.
“After they raided our house of all electronics I heard them coming closer and suddenly they shook the couch just to confirm I was sleeping,” her brother said.
The two young victims kept calm the whole time and waited awhile for safety before going to seek help.
“When the neighbours alarm went off, I knew they were busy breaking into that house too. The same vehicle stood by our neighbour’s gate that was in our yard minutes ago, a Silver Ford Focus,” she informed people on the scene.
It was confirmed that there was a break-in at the neighbours but fortunately no one was hurt.
The Silver Ford Focus, identified as the vehicle the robbers used. On July 14 armed robbers raided two houses next to each other in Hoëveld Park.
The morning before these incidents, the above mentioned vehicle was spotted more than three times in the same neighbourhood. SACCW (South African Community Crime Watch) warned residents about the vehicle after they responded to the robberies.
“If any resident in eMalahleni in any area see’s suspicious activity we urge them to inform us via our open emergency channel on Zello so we can assist where it is needed,” a member of the SACCW, Maureen Scheepers added.
No arrests were made and the suspects are still at large.
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https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/86926/first-hours-new-home-turns-sour-couple/
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/83496/robbers-first-attempt-failed/
