Burglars break down wall to try and get to shop
"Members of the community are encouraged to call the local police station on 011 990 9600."
The lockdown continues and with police monitoring the streets, burglars seem to be using innovative strategies; one shop in Ivory Park realised this.
On March 30, Alex Dilamo was surprised by a call from his brother when burglars broke into their shop. The burglars hit in the middle of the night and started breaking through the wall of an adjoining room.
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After breaking through, they entered the room where there were tenants, a husband and a wife with their toddler.
Dilamo said he was at their other shop two streets away when he received a call from his brother about the disturbance.
“When I got here, the burglars were already gone. They ran away when the other tenants woke up and started making noise to scare them away. It is not the first time we have cases as such around here. Most shops are being entered in this fashion,” said Dilamo.
“It was around 12.30am when they started breaking the wall. They wanted money, but they took what they could take from the tenants’ room they broke into.”
Hildah Moyo, a tenant, said they broke into their room and entered with firearms and a knife.
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“They demanded we keep quite and searched us. One guy demanded money and they took my husband’s wallet. In it was his driver’s licence and an unknown amount of money, but there wasn’t much,” she said.
“The other suspeect rushed to break through the wall that divides our room and the shop. They ran away then because residents started to wake up and shouted,” added Moyo.
“Before they ran away, they demanded money again. They pointed a gun at my husband and told us to lay down and not move. The police came, but didn’t even a statement. They came rushing with cars and left soon afterwards.”
Later that day, another local tuck shop owner said at around 11.20pm the previous night he heard people on his roof and at his front door trying to break in.
Ivory Park SAPS communications officer Capt Bernard Matimulane said local business owners have to take precautions to protect themselves and their assets because as police they can not reach every place in time.
“Communities are urged to keep whistles under their pillows to blow in cases of emergency. During this lockdown, we are patrolling.
“The police station is open 24 hours a day, and policing work remains the same. We will continue to keep a sharp eye at places we know there burglaries could take place. Members of the community are encouraged to call the local police station on 011 990 9600,” said Matimulane.
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