PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - An elderly Plettenberg Bay couple became victims of a home invasion when a gang of balaclava-clad robbers forced their way into their Matjiesfontein home in Keurbooms last week.
Local police spokesperson Captain Marlene Pieterse said the couple, who are both 69 years old, had just returned from Enricos Restaurant in Keurbooms when they noticed four men, all wearing balaclavas and dark jackets, in their home at about 21:15. Two of the men were carrying firearms.
She said the homeowner immediately locked his wife in their bedroom behind a security gate and approached the suspects and asked them what they were doing in his home.
"One of the suspects then began to assault the homeowner with a firearm which resulted in injuries to his head," Pieterse said.
The complainant's wife then opened the security gate and also asked the suspects what they wanted.
"They spoke to her calmly and said they wanted money," Pieterse said.
The suspects then allegedly pointed a firearm at the homeowner's wife, grabbed a Samsung cellphone and fled the scene.
It was later established that the suspects managed to gain access to the home by forcing a door open.
Pieterse said no one has been arrested yet, but that police are investigating a case of house robbery.
Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said they received an alert of an armed robbery in progress at about 21:30 and when their response team arrived they found the couple not only traumatised, but also injured after the husband was beaten repeatedly in the face.
He said authorities – which included PBCPA members, the town's rapid response team and police – were on the scene within minutes.
"With the assistance of Keurbooms River, Wittedrift, Uplands, Crags and Plett Watch neighbourhood watch responders, the area was meticulously searched, but the suspects managed to escape," Olivier said.
This type of crime appears to becoming a trend as on 25 June, four suspects invaded a home in the Strandmeer Private Estate in Keurbooms, overpowered the owners and made off with valuables worth more than R800 000.
Pieterse confirmed that in this matter there were also four men involved and that they too wore balaclavas. One of the suspects had a semi-automatic weapon while the others had handguns.
The PBCPA's Marius Venter encouraged residents to become more vigilant about their home security.
"Make sure your alarms and electric fencing is activated when you are not home and at night, make sure the equipment is in a good working condition, do a test by pressing your panic button or activate your alarm to see if your response company calls you," Venter said.
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