Durban - Durban North has been affected by more than a dozen incidents of crime since January 1, the latest being the murder of an elderly man this week.
James Quinlin, 79, and his wife Jill, 65, were attacked at midday on Thursday in their Glenhills home by a man who was looking for casual work.
Quinlin was bludgeoned to death with a brick and a copper pipe while his wife was beaten on the face. The suspect took Quinlin’s cell phone.
Jill Quinlin was too distraught to speak to the Sunday Tribune on Saturday as she was leaving to identify her husband’s body at the mortuary.
Robin Candy, their neighbour and chairman of the Greenwood Park Community Policing Forum, witnessed the attack on the CCTV camera outside his house.
“The attacker approached them looking for work. They told him they didn’t have any. He walked away but returned a few hours later while James was in his garage moving his car.
“This is when he attacked; he tried to steal the car but was unsuccessful.
“On hearing her husband’s screams, Jill ran to see what was going on and she was attacked with the brick.
“I rushed out and began chasing the suspect. He ran away and hid in the bushes nearby. He eventually managed to escape.”
Candy said the Quinlans were a loving couple. “You can imagine how devastating this must be for her after almost 50 years of marriage. The community is shocked and we hope the suspect is caught.”
Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker confirmed Greenwood Park SAPS was investigating but no arrests had been made.
Blue Security statistics reveal at least a dozen incidents of robbery, housebreaking, theft, trespassing and attempted robbery in the area since the start of the new year.
Operations manager Brian Jackson said among the latest incidents were two robberies in Effingham Heights on Wednesday and an armed robbery in Blackburn Road last Sunday.
A week earlier a gang of four robbers driving a white Subaru attempted to hold up a gardener at gunpoint in Effingham Heights. The same gang had allegedly burgled another property in the area.
Jackson said a fourth armed robbery had involved a gang of five men who held up a security guard at a business in North Coast Road.
Housebreaking and trespassing incidents were also reported in Sunningdale, Durban North, Glen Anil, uMhlanga Effingham Heights, and Rosehill.
Sunday Tribune