Two La Lucia homes were broken into by armed suspects in two incidents that took place within an hour.
Marshall Security said the first incident happened at about 11.55.am on Wednesday when eight suspects, armed with a handgun, derailed the driveway gate to a house in Wilson Way.
“The gardener who was home at the time ran and hid from the suspects who stormed the property, smashing through the front door with a sledgehammer, before ransacking the premises, stealing high end watches and jewellery before making off in a getaway vehicle.”
In the second incident, a Marshall security guard spotted suspects fleeing from a house in William Campbell drive just after 12.30pm. It later emerged that a similar modus operandi had been used, said the security company's spokesperson Kyle van Reenen.
“Armed Reaction officers were immediately dispatched and on further investigation it was ascertained that eight suspects entered the property by derailing the driveway gate before smashing through a security gate and forcing entry into the home. The domestic worker who was at the property at the time was told to lie down on the floor and keep quiet by an armed suspect, while his accomplices ransacked the home, making off with undisclosed items.”
The security company said the two incidents might be related. The suspects were still at large.