A house was robbed on New Year’s Eve just a half hour before the start of 2017 which for most people means a fresh start but for the household in Opperman Street their festivities were interrupted and their new year got off to a bad start.
According the victim who also rents out a flat in their backyard, she was sitting on her porch while the tenants were having a braai outside their flat to celebrate the impending New Year. She saw two men coming into the yard and walking straight to the back. She assumed that they were guests and did not think twice about it. However when one of the men came back around the corner with a gun pointed at her she realised what was happening.
The other gunman also brought the two tenants into the main house at gunpoint. The three victims were forced to lay down flat on the living room floor as the robbers helped themselves to cell phones and other electronic valuables.
According to police the robbers also stole a gun from the premises. The gun was apparently licensed.
Sgt David Ratau from the Witbank SAPS said,
“It is not always the case that they will resell the firearm but use it in other robberies.”
He also noted that the firearms they used in this particular robbery are most likely also stolen with the serial numbers removed. People should be cautious at night as robbers seem to have used the New Years Eve festivities as an opening to commit the robbery explains Sgt Ratau.
Another house robbery took place on the public holiday on December 26 as the robbers made off with some unusual items. The victim was apparently taking a nap on the couch when he was woken up by the robbers standing over him.
According to reports the robbers asked him if he owned a firearm probably hoping to steal it as well however he did not. They settled for cash, food and clothes as well as other electronic valuables.
The robbers bound the victim using shoe laces and locked him up in his own bathroom while they looted his house. The victim could not be reached for comment.
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