A Hammanskraal homeowner was beaten and forced to open a safe during an early-morning robbery at a property in Vasfontein on Tuesday, 27 October.

Hammanskraal SAPS is investigating a case of house robbery after three unidentified men allegedly broke into the home at the corner of Sering and Geelhout streets.

According to a police statement supplied by Captain Johan van Dyk, the victim had retired for the night at approximately 22:00 on Monday, 26 October. The attack happened during the early hours of the following morning.

Police said the suspects, reportedly wearing work suits and allegedly armed with a firearm, broke a window to gain entry.

They fired a shot and struck the homeowner on the forehead with an object, leaving him with an open wound.

The suspects subsequently broke through a security door and forced the victim to open a safe. They fled with an undisclosed amount of cash and several household items.

A report supplied by the local neighbourhood watch and Community Policing Forum (CPF) places the attack between 02:00 and 02:30.

According to their report, three masked suspects cut through the perimeter fencing before breaking open the door to a worker’s room. The worker managed to escape without being assaulted.

The suspects then allegedly forced their way into the main house, where homeowner Tsepo Baloyi was repeatedly struck across his head, neck and shoulders with a crowbar.

The neighbourhood watch and CPF reported that the attackers demanded keys to his safe and bakkie, as well as PIN codes for his banking application.

Their report lists two Norinco 9mm pistols, R19,000 in cash, cellphones, an iPad, an 85-inch television and a bakkie key among the stolen items.

The police statement did not confirm the itemised list, the amount of cash taken or the alleged demands for banking PIN codes.

The neighbourhood watch and CPF also reported that several shots were fired and that police found blank cartridge cases at the scene. The supplied police statement refers to one shot and does not specify the ammunition used.

According to the neighbourhood watch and CPF report, Baloyi drove to the police station after the attack to report the crime.

Crime Scene Management personnel attended the scene to collect evidence and assist with the investigation.

Hammanskraal SAPS said the investigation is ongoing and appealed to anyone with information that could help identify and apprehend the suspects to contact police.

Also read: Biker killed, another injured in Pretoria pub shooting

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitteror Instagramor TikTokor WhatsApp Channel.