Two hotel guests have been attacked at two hotels in Scottburgh within five hours of each other, a KwaZulu-Natal newspaper reported on Monday.
A 31-year-old woman and her five-year-old son, from Braamfontein in Joburg, were asleep in their room at the Cutty Sark Hotel when a group of men entered, The Witness reported.
Lieutenant-Colonel Zandra Wiid said the woman had fallen asleep while watching television. “She woke up around 11pm on Thursday and found a group of unknown men in her room.”
The gang took her cellphone, bank card and cash, then fled.
“Luckily, she and her child were not physically harmed during the robbery,” said Wiid.
The woman called her bank’s helpline to stop the card.
“She was told that an attempt was made to withdraw money from her account, but fortunately the transaction did not go through.”
On investigation, police discovered that the gang had first held up a security guard at the hotel’s main gate and then a receptionist and a waiter.
Hotel manager Peter Renwick said: “At this stage we do not have full clarity on the exact details. The police are investigating the case and it appears that there have been a few incidents in the area around the same time.
“We are lucky that no one sustained any injury, but our staff and guest are traumatised from what happened.”
The second woman was attacked at 4am on Friday morning in her room at the Blue Marlin Hotel, which is about two kilometres from the Cutty Sark.
“The 30-year-old woman was also asleep and was awakened by a man who gained entry through an open bathroom window,” Wiid said.
The intruder opened the door to the woman’s room and let in four accomplices.
Again, they demanded the victim’s cellphone, cash and bank card.
“Four of the men left to go to the ATM and the other was left to guard the victim. He then raped her,” Wiid said.
The Blue Marlin said it had 24-hour security on the premises. Manager Malthee Singh said she could not confirm if or how the four men gained entry into the hotel.
“It was alleged that they were inside the hotel, so right now I cannot comment on that.” – Sapa