According to Warrant Officer Balan Muthan, head of communications for the Douglasdale police, the family had been shopping at Douglasdale Pick n Pay at midday before getting into their vehicle to go home.
Muthan said police suspected the family had been spotted while shopping and were followed from the shopping centre. The complainant’s wife had been driving their vehicle, and their children, who were one and five years old, were in the back. As the complainant’s vehicle entered their property, a champagne-coloured Honda Ballad drove in after them. Two occupants alighted from the Honda Ballad.
One suspect started to search the complainant as he was trying to get his children out of his vehicle. The suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash, his wristwatch and wallet from him. The other suspect searched the complainant’s wife and removed her rings, wristwatch, earrings and took her handbag. The suspects then fled the scene in their vehicle.
Muthan said the suspects got away with items to the value of R150 000. However, Muthan said due to the superior quality of the CCTV footage obtained from Douglasdale Pick n Pay, the suspects were close to being tracked down.
“Residents should be more observant when leaving shopping centres and should use extreme caution when entering their properties,” he said. “Owners of shopping centres are obligated to improve their security and security personnel to the level of Douglasdale Pick n Pay.”
