Durban - AN estate agent was throttled until she passed out, tied up and locked in the room of a house in Ballito by a man pretending to be a potential home buyer.
A 40-year-old man was arrested shortly thereafter on Monday night, and was due to appear in the Kwa Dakuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the 27-year-old woman was attacked, robbed, gagged with tape, and tied up with cables by a man who then fled in her vehicle.
“It is alleged that at 2.30pm on Monday, the victim was accompanying the suspect on a private viewing of houses in Ballito.
“The suspect allegedly came with the pretext that he was going to buy a property which was available in Ballito. He was later taken into an en-suite bathroom by the victim during the tour (of the property). He then allegedly grabbed her neck until she passed out. She woke up and called for help. Her Toyota Tazz was stolen.”
Marshall Security spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said the stolen vehicle was fitted with a tracking device, and a team from the company with the assistance of other stake-holders spotted it on the M4 Ruth First Highway near Umdloti, where it was stopped. A man was found to be in possession of the estate agent’s belongings and a replica firearm.
Van Reenen said it had been a joint operation between Marshall Security, Umhlali police’s K9 unit, and the oThongathi community policing forum that led to the arrest.