Brooklyn police have intensified visible patrols to curb house robberies.
This after a gang with dust masks recently robbed two houses in one day.
Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach said a 79-year-old Waterkloof Heights resident was in her bedroom when she heard voices inside her house.
“She went to investigate and found three unknown men inside the house. They threatened her with a firearm and instructed her to stay inside her bedroom.”
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The suspects ransacked the house and stole jewellery, laptops and liquor.
Weilbach said half an hour later, a 30-year-old Waterkloof Park resident and his workers were held up in his home in a small security complex.
“One of the suspects took the man to a bedroom where the suspects instructed him to open a safe.”
A firearm, two TV sets and other items were stolen.
“The suspects, who remain at large, were wearing dust masks and some had on overall jackets and were driving a silver Nissan Qashqai with an unknown registration number.”
In an incident last week, an Ashlea Gardens couple entertaining visitors at their home were attacked.
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“At about 23:30 the visitors left and the couple locked the front door and went out to the back of the house to smoke.”
She said the husband heard something and went to investigate.
“He encountered three unknown men who assaulted him with a crowbar.
“The wife was also hit with the crowbar but managed to escape into the house.”
A neighbour heard the shouting and called the SAPS.
The suspects, however, managed to flee with a stolen laptop and cellphone.
Weilbach said the husband was taken to a local hospital and no arrests have been made yet.
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Police offered the following advice to community members to prevent house robberies:
* Be observant at all times. Report any suspicious vehicles that are parked in the driveway of a neighbour’s house, especially if the vehicle is reversed into the yard.
* Develop a habit of locking all doors and security gates at all times.
* Install additional safety measures at gates so that criminals will not be able to derail the gate.
* Upgrade security measures at back doors, kitchen windows and sliding doors.
* Be alert when spending time outside the house late at night. Install movement sensors that can give early warning when somebody trespasses.
* Talk to domestic workers about safety, and upgrade security measures like safety gates and burglar bars at the windows of their living quarters.
* Panic buttons that are strategically located inside the house can be activated to send out an audible or silent alarm as soon as an intruder or threat is identified.
* Create and keep safe a register of serial numbers for your electrical appliances to help the police with their investigation should such items be stolen.
* Put in place proper access control and secure the outer perimeter of your security complex.
* CCTV footage is often useful in police investigations. Install cameras on face level for a better footage.
* In case of a robbery, stay calm and co-operate with the robbers.
* After the robbery, do not touch or move anything, this is to prevent that important evidence gets destroyed.
If you have any information that can assist the police investigation, call the Brooklyn police station on 012-366-1735/6, if you wish to remain anonymous call 08600-10111 or send a text message to 32211.
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