THREE elderly people and their domestic worker were tied up, assaulted and robbed by three suspects in their Van Riebeeck Park home on Wednesday last week.
A car, jewellery worth about R60 000, money, cellphone, plasma TV and home theatre system were taken.
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Eddy Wiering (68) returned home from the shops at about 1pm. He pulled into the driveway, switched off the car, opened the driver’s door and leaned towards the passenger’s seat to pick up his parcel. This was when he felt a hard object at the back of his head as his face was pressed into the seat.
“I didn’t see them, I don’t know how many they were. They pulled me out of the car, told me not to turn around, took my belt off and tied my hands behind my back with it. They took a rope out of the boot and tied my feet, before pushing me under the front of my car,” Wiering explained.
A rag was stuffed into his mouth to keep him quiet. His pockets were emptied and all his keys taken.
But it was not over yet.
The 68-year-old lives in a flat on the property owned by Marthie van der Berg (70), who lives in the main house with Jan Scheepers (74).
Scheepers and Van der Berg were in the TV room when they heard the dog barking.
“I stood up to check why the dog was barking and was met by two men, who hit me on the nose and told me to lie on my stomach. They tied my hands,” Scheepers said.
The unarmed suspects continued to beat him because he kept on untying his hands which were not tied tightly enough. “The one guy then went to the kitchen, took a knife and told me if I untied myself again, he would stab me.”
His spectacles and watch were taken and he had a bruised nose and an injury under his eye where he was hit.
Van der Berg, Scheepers and Mirriam Khuselo (47) were all tied up and lay on the floor while the robbers disconnected the TV and sound system and loaded it onto Wiering’s car.
They ordered Van der Berg to take them to the safe in the bedroom.
“The whole time I was praying, please God don’t let them rape me. My entire body is so sore,” she said.
Van der Berg said the suspects spoke to her in Afrikaans. She tried explaining to them that she did not have a firearm and that the safe was open.
“They didn’t believe me and kept on kicking me in my back, I asked them to untie me so I could show them the safe was unlocked and they kicked me again,” she explained.
Jewellery worth R60 000 was taken, as well as her rings off her fingers, her watch, cellphone and handbag. She sustained injuries to her wrists where she was tightly tied with her cellphone’s charger. She just thanked God she was still alive.
“After living in this house for 35 years I have not experienced any crime until today.”
Khuselo, who comes to work once a week on a Wednesday, was slapped and told to lie down after coming to check why her boss was screaming.
After lying under his car for what felt like forever, Wiering heard the suspects loading stuff into his 15-year-old Toyota Condor 2.4i before driving off in it.
Norkem Park police spokesman, Capt Lesibana Molokomme, said a case of house robbery had been opened.
The two suspects who entered the house were described as being young, between 25 and 35. The one suspect is said to have been tall and hefty, wearing brown pants, a grey top, black gloves, a cap, and had a slight limp.
The other, shorter suspect, wore a black jacket with khaki pants. The third suspect waited outside in a white car.
Footage from Casa Caritas’ cameras across the road will be used for assist with investigations.
While on the scene with police and a security company, EXPRESS journalist’s VW emblem on the front of her car was stolen.
