DURBAN: A man from Waterloo, Verulam in KwaZulu-Natal was robbed of his company vehicle, laptop and cellphone after two criminals targeted him at a grocery store and followed him home where they held up his family on Wednesday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) officers were the first responders at the scene after they received a call from a resident about the robbery at a house on Soccer Road, just before 6pm.
Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said that upon arrival, officers were informed that two armed men had entered the home and held up a family of five.
“They bound the victims’ hands and feet with cable ties before gagging them with cellophane tape. The couple's children, aged between 12 and 20, were forced into one of the bedrooms.”
Balram said the suspects informed the homeowner that they were monitoring him on Tuesday while he shopped at a popular grocery store.
The homeowner confirmed to Rusa officers that he was at the store, he said.
“They stole his cellphone before they sped off in his white Toyota Hilux bakkie.”
Balram said the couple's eldest daughter managed to remove her restraints before freeing the rest of her family.
“It is alleged that the suspects were dropped off by a white Toyota Quantum,” he added.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the complainant said he had just parked his company vehicle outside his house and began walking to the house when he saw the robbers.
“He noticed two unknown males opening the burglar door which was not locked. At gunpoint, they took cellphone, laptop and fled the scene with the complainant’s company vehicle,” she said.
A case of robbery was opened with the Verulam SAPS for investigation.
ALSO READ:
– Armed suspects rob security guard of an undisclosed amount of cash from a grocery store in Pinetown
– Durban homeowner stabbed, punched during robbery
MOST READ:
– WATCH: 2 children perform death defying 'bus surfing' tricks behind a moving Durban city bus