Protea Park residents targeted
Two Protea Park families have been attacked and robbed at gunpoint in five days.
FAMILIES living in Protea Park, Albersville, are under siege in their homes, at the mercy of organised, armed gangs.
Gangs armed with firearms and bush knives have struck and threatened two families in a matter of days.
The Herald’s front page last week reported on a gang of six, armed with bush knives, intent on breaking into a house in Bazley.
Those who were attacked on Tuesday night this week said they believe some of the men involved in the Bazley attack are the same men who attacked them.
Three men entered the house in Protea Park and threatened the family with firearms before robbing them of various belongings.
“It is believed that one of the youngsters in the family had gone out earlier and was opening the main gate in order to get back into the house when the criminals took advantage of the situation and forced their way in with him,” said police spokesman, Captain Vincent Pandarum.
A shot was fired during the incident but, fortunately, nobody was hurt.
The robbers took a flat screen TV, laptop, jewellery, a decoder, cellphones and money before fleeing in a white Renault Clio with GP registration plates.
No arrests have been made and investigations are continuing.
Last Friday the same modus operandi was used when a family was attacked and robbed in Pelican Road.
The family was watching TV in the lounge. When one of them opened the door, they were confronted by a man with a firearm.
Five more men joined their accomplice and ordered the man back into the house.
The robbers held the family at gunpoint while some of them ransacked the house. Some of the residents were tied up.
The robbers fled in a white hatchback with GP registration taking with them jewellery, cash, cellphones and TVs.
These cases have spurred others living in the area to call on the courts to hand down stiffer sentences to these criminals.
“Police are working around the clock to have these men arrested, placing their own lives in danger in the process. When they are arrested, many of these criminals get off lightly, and come back to commit the same crimes,” said one resident.
People in Albersville said they don’t feel safe any longer and hope that, in the light of these attacks, residents will be more vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious people or vehicles loitering the area.
How to limit your risk:
* Prevent others from knowing where valuables and cash are kept in the house.
* Be vigilant, irrespective of how much security you have.
* Use multiple layers of security, with an early warning system outside the house as a deterrent.
* Install a physical barrier to stop intruders gaining easy access to the home.
* Be aware that security systems and alarms are useless while turned off.
* Take note of crime trends and adjust security measures accordingly.
* Take part in local crime prevention initiatives.
* Be aware that premises where parties are held are easy targets because doors and security gates are usually open, the alarm is off, guard dogs are often confined, neighbours will not pay as much attention to the noise and robbers know they have access to many cars, phones, cash and jewellery. (Source: Home Invasion by Prof Rudolph Zinn)
An appeal is made for anyone who may have any information that could help with the investigation to contact the Port Shepstone SAPS at 039 6881000 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
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