Blue Security has warned residents to be vigilant when stepping outside at night following two residential armed robberies where residents were ambushed on their properties, Tuesday night.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said that the incidents, which involved gangs of between four and five members, occurred in Westville and Yellowwood Park between 6 pm and 7 pm.
In the latest incident a resident had opened her front door to let her dogs out at around 6.49 pm when she was ambushed by a gang of armed robbers. “She had just opened the front door to let the dogs out and when she turned around she was suddenly accosted by a gang of five armed suspects who held her and her family up at gunpoint,” Mathios said.
“The suspects forced the residents to lie on the ground while they searched the home for valuables and loaded them into their getaway vehicle, a white Peugeot. The suspects fled the scene with cellphones, a microwave, flatscreen televisions, a laptop, jewellery and other valuables. No injuries were reported,” he said. “Upon investigation it was discovered that the suspects had forced open the main gate to gain entry into the premises.” The incident was reported to Westville SAPS.
In the earlier incident a resident was assaulted when she was ambushed at her home in Yellowwood Park after going outside to collect the post at around 6.36pm. “The resident was ambushed by four suspects, who were all armed with firearms. They forced her back into the house where her husband was sitting in the lounge. The suspects ransacked the house and fled the scene with a flatscreen television, cellphones and a wallet containing cash and bank cards,” he said.
Mathios said the gang assaulted the resident on her head with a firearm. “She sustained a head injury and was taken to hospital by a family member,” he said. The incident was reported to Monclair SAPS.
Mathios advised residents to be vigilant especially at night when unlocking their properties, arriving home and leaving. “We advise residents to ensure bushes, shrubs and trees are cut back to minimise hiding places where criminals can lie in wait and to always look outside to check whether there are any suspicious individuals or vehicles lurking outside. It’s also crucial to install adequate lighting around the perimeter of your property which also acts as a strong deterrent against opportunistic crime,” he said.
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