A 96-year-old wheelchair-bound farmer has been robbed by six men who broke into his house in Bothaville, Free State police said on Thursday.
Two of the six men attacked two of the farmer's security guards with a hammer, injuring them, at about 8.20pm on Tuesday, said Captain Stephen Thakeng.
A worker was hit on the back of neck before being forced to the guards' house.
“He realised that both security guards were bleeding profusely,” said Thakeng.
The robbers used a crowbar to force open the security door to the main house. Farmer Frikkie Rautenbach and a nurse were inside.
The intruders demanded cash, Thakeng said. When they were told there was no money, they pulled the nurse's hair and demanded cash.
The nurse told the robbers that Rautenbach had the safe key. They searched him and found it in his pocket.
They tied up the nurse with a telephone cord and searched the house for the safe, which they found and opened. They took an undisclosed amount of money, a 9mm firearm and two cellphones.
Rautenbach was not harmed.
“The suspects demanded the key of the bakkie from the farmer and it was given to them. They tried to drive it, but the bakkie hit a tree inside the farmhouse yard,” said Thakeng.
The robbers ran away.
Thakeng said the guards were taken to Nala hospital. One of them later fell into a coma and was transferred to a Bloemfontein hospital. - Sapa