Hammer wielding gran catches suspect
A robber (18), found himself caught between a hammer and broomstick after he broke into a Wooton Avenue home, which was for sale, on Friday, March 6
A brave 54-year old Northmead woman, who works as a real estate agent, and her grandson (19), found the robber hiding in a corner in the flatlet.
“Earlier that week, on Tuesday, I went to meet a tenant for a key handover at 5pm. The tenant had been renting the flatlet and had moved out on Sunday, March 1. We checked out the property and all was in order,” she explained.
On Thursday, she had an appointment with a potential buyer and, upon entering the property, they found that the flatlet was flooded with water gushing from a gaping hole in the wall.
“We walked in and found the place flooded. The basin was smashed and the taps and copper pipes had all been removed from the kitchen and bathroom. I turned off the main water supply and immediately contacted the owner of the property who now lives in Cape Town,” she said.
With the owner’s permission, she opened a case of housebreaking and unlawful entry at the Benoni SAPS.
On Friday, she returned to the property with her grandson in order to clean up, as she had another potential client coming to view the property.
It was then they discovered the robber hiding on the property.
“When we walked in, we found him crouching in the corner of the bedroom. My grandson blocked the window which he (the suspect) used to gain entry and I ran back to the car to get the hammer which I keep for all my show boards,” she recalled.
With hammer in hand, she returned to the flatlet and, together with her grandson, who was armed with a broomstick, they kept the robber at bay while help was on the way.
“I made a call to the office and asked them to call the police. When it seemed they were not going to come in time, we contacted CMS and two reaction officers arrived at 10.40am. The police arrived around two hours later to make the arrest,” she said.
During the interrogation, the robber admitted to the woman that he was the one who damaged the property and stole the taps and pipes the day before.
“It was also discovered that he was out on bail for having committed similar multiple offences in, and around, the Lakefield area. I just hope he will remain behind bars this time round,” she concluded.
