Viciously robbed: Warning

POLOKWANE – “The loud bang of the window breaking is stuck in my head.”

A 42-year-old woman from Flora Park spoke about her frightening ordeal at the hands of some violent robbers who assaulted and robbed her while she was in her vehicle last Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Silicon and Fluoorspar Streets in Ladine in full view of passersby and motorists.

The woman, who wishes to stay anonymous, was doing shopping in the area, and had her shopping bags, as well as some other valuables, on the backseat of the vehicle.

“I never thought something like this would happen to me. My window was open and I was waiting for the traffic to pass so that I could go. I didn’t even think much about the three men until one of them smashed my right passenger window.

I wanted to drive off but then my car stalled,” the woman said.

She said after breaking the window on of the men smashed her face into the steering wheel.

“The other two men then opened the door and took the shopping on the backseat as well as my handbag. I tried to grab it, but he took out a knife and cut my hand and arm.

“No one tried to help me. After they took my stuff the men just walked away, cool and calmly,” the woman said.

She drove to her sister-in-law, who was at work nearby and who took her to hospital. Her right eye was badly bruised and her left hand and arm were cut, but she did not need any stitches.

The woman said she was grateful to be alive because things could have turned out very differently.

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“They could have killed me. It all happened so fast. I am disappointed in the society that we live in. It is busy at the intersection where it happened, and no one tried to help me. The men didn’t even run away, they walked. I am sure if someone tried to help me, they would have been caught, ” the woman said.

She said that her husband’s laptop, the church’s projector, groceries, money and her handbag were stolen.

Capt Mohlaka Mashiane, Westenburg police spokesperson, said a case of robbery was investigated by the Westenburg police.

“We appeal to the public to remove all valuables from their vehicles or to put them out of sight, to prevent them from becoming victims of this crime,” Mashiane said.

According to Mashiane the suspects pretend to be selling goods and when they see there is something they grab it.

“A number of cases have been reported and most of the incidents take place at crossroads, traffic lights and intersections like stop signs,” Mashiane explained.