When he put his home on the market, Fred van Dyk never expected to be targeted by conniving thieves.
“I have an estate agency’s board outside my house and on Thursday, November 9, a woman knocked on my door.”
Van Dyk’s daughter, Samantha, opened the door and allowed the woman inside, after she had claimed to be from the estate agency selling their property.
“She said she was sent by the agency and asked if she could have a look at the house.”
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Van Dyk’s daughter started showing the woman around, when she noticed two more women at the front door.
“The woman asked my daughter to allow her sisters in, so they could also look at the house.”
Van Dyk’s daughter obliged and it was then that disaster struck.
After allowing the women in, van Dyk’s wife, Barbara, joined their daughter to show the women around.
“One of the women noticed an antique chair that my wife is busy with, in our home’s toy room. She asked to look at it and my wife went in the room with her to show it to her.”
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While his wife and the woman spoke, van Dyk’s daughter was left alone with the other two women.
“In the main room, they asked my daughter if they could see how deep the cupboards were.”
His daughter obliged, not suspecting this was part of an elaborate ruse.
While ‘investigating’ the cupboards, the third woman asked to see the garden wall to judge how far the neighbour’s house was from it.
van Dyk’s daughter took her outside, leaving the second woman in the main room, and the first woman in the room with her mother.
After asking several questions about the garden wall, van Dyk’s daughter grew suspicious and said they should go back inside.
“When they started going inside, my daughter saw the woman she had left was now sitting in their car with the male driver. The suspect with my daughter then told the woman who was with my wife that they needed to go, as they still needed to drive to Durban.”
The three women and their driver left. It was then that it was discovered while the women had separated van Dyk’s wife and daughter, they had successfully stolen a number of items.
They had stolen both van Dyk’s wife’s and daughter’s cellphones, Mrs van Dyk’s jewellery, van Dyk’s camera bag and his safe, which were in the cupboard.
What infuriated van Dyk the most about the theft, was the sentimental value of some of the goods.
“My dad’s wedding ring and watch which he left for me after he passed was in the safe, as was my wedding ring. I got my wife an expensive ring for our 30th wedding anniversary, and that was stolen. These are all earthly possessions but they have sentimental value.”
Despite the theft, van Dyk said he was thankful his family was not hurt.
“The scary thing is, what if my wife and daughter had seen them taking the stuff and tried to confront them? They could have been armed.”
Van Dyk has since opened a case of robbery, but has warned residents to be cautious when allowing people into their homes.
“I can’t believe how shrewd these people were. They were well dressed and well spoken.”
Police investigations are currently underway.
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