Cape Town – Nearly R80 000 has been raised for World of Birds in Hout Bay after the tourist attraction was robbed of R70 000 at the weekend.
About R79 123 was crowdfunded on BackaBuddy, with contributions from 139 sources, said BackaBuddy spokesperson Zane Groenewald.
World of Birds owner Walter Mangold, 81, was tied up after being accosted in his office by two unknown men who made off with about R70 000.
“I went to put the money in the safe, and after locking it up, I sat at my desk. Shortly after, I noticed two men at my door. This must have been an inside job because these guys knew the routine.”
Mangold said the perpetrators had already arrived at World of Birds earlier that afternoon and had paid an entrance fee, then proceeded to act like tourists.
“When they entered the office, they threw me off the chair while holding me in an arm lock with my face to the concrete floor.
“They then searched my drawers for keys and then searched me for the safe keys. They found the keys on me and made off with the money,” he said.
Mangold, who said World of Birds was struggling financially, had enjoyed its “first good weekend in six months” after a lot more visitors visited the park at the weekend.
Mangold, left tied up with telephone cords, called for help and a group of tourists heard him shouting.
“We will now have to do a complete upgrade on security to avoid a repeat of this incident. We urge anybody to help with donations through our crowdfunding campaign running on BackaBuddy.”
The private sanctuary has served the greater Cape Town community for more than 40 years, providing free care to more than 2 000 permanently injured birds and small mammals.
Since June this year they have struggled to keep their doors open. The weekend takings, totalling more than R70 000, was to be paid over to the bank. They owe R850 000.
Anyone with information can anonymously contact Hout Bay SAPS at 0217918660 or CrimeStop on 0860010111.
To donate to the campaign, visit https://www.backabuddy.co.za/world-of-birds-wildlife-sanctuary-campaign