Town under siege by armed robbers
Criminals have become more active during lockdown level two.
With the relaxation of lockdown regulations, it is expected people will be leaving their homes and moving around more.
This also applies to criminals, who have become more active during Level Two.
Brakpan has seen an increase in the number of crimes committed since regulations were relaxed, and three serious incidents took place on Wednesday, last week.
The community was struck by two house robberies and one business robbery on the same day.
Two men were arrested shortly after the business robbery, which took place at a supermarket along Voortrekker Road in the morning.
Read: Shoot-out ends in arrests after supermarket robbery
A few hours later, however, two women found themselves the target of house robbers.
The incidents took place within 20 minutes of each other in adjoining suburbs.
The first home invasion occurred at 11.55am at an address along Daimler Avenue in Kenleaf.
According to information received from Brakpan police, the victim heard a car hooting in the street, but ignored it as she was not expecting any visitors.
She then heard what sounded like a vehicle crashing through the gate and stood up to look through the window.
The victim saw three men on her property and ran to lock the door.
The robbers forced the locked door open and the victim ran to hide, but was grabbed by one of the men. He punched her in the face and the victim fought back, hitting him with a wooden ornament.
She told the robbers they could take whatever they wanted and one of them pushed her onto the couch.
While the victim did not see whether the men were armed, this robber threatened to shoot her.
He then started unzipping his pants, but suddenly stopped and headed outside. Whether he intended to rape her is not known.
The victim locked herself in a room and used a laptop to send emails to her family alerting them to the robbery.
She stayed in the room until she was rescued by a member of the local CPF.
A TV was stolen and the victim’s cellphone and a router were found abandoned outside.
The victim described one of the robbers as tall and skinny and between the ages of 25 and 29 years old. He spoke Afrikaans fluently.
Read: Women threatened with crowbars during Kenleaf house robbery
The second house robbery took place at 12.15pm at a home along Hendrik Potgieter Street in Dalview.
In addition to stealing jewellery, a cellphone, a laptop and other valuables, the robbers also made off with the victim’s white Mercedes-Benz.
The victim told police she was in the house when she heard a noise and thought it was her husband returning home from work.
Two men walked into the room and told her they would not hurt her.
She was instructed to take them to her bedroom, where the men asked if she had a safe.
With no safe to plunder, the robbers helped themselves to several other items and then asked the victim to open the garage.
One of the robbers then drove off in her car. A grey Volkswagen, model unknown, was seen at the house.
Both cases are under investigation and residents are urged to be vigilant.
To report suspicious-looking persons or activities, contact your sector patrol vehicle or the Brakpan Police Station on 011 744 7100.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za
or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za
or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za
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