Brazen house robbers ‘not scared of anyone’

A gang of house robbers struck at a Pretoria home, attacking the family as they sat having drinks on their veranda.

The attack comes as a police source on Thursday said that there had been a sudden spike in house robberies in the Sunnyside policing cluster, which includes Brooklyn, Lyttelton, Garsfontein, Moot, Villieria and Sunnyside, with nearly 10 incidents since Monday.

Wednesday night’s attack occurred when three balaclava clad men, armed with handguns, forced their way into the family’s Water-kloof Ridge home.

Holding up the family, the gunmen stole cellphones, wallets and jewellery before fleeing in the family’s Porsche Cayenne and silver Mercedes-Benz CLK.

Both cars were later recovered in Waterkloof and Sunnyside.

Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Annabelle Middleton confirmed the attack and said none of the suspects had been arrested.

“The men attacked the family while they were having drinks on the veranda of their Victoria Street home. They held up the family and forced them to hand over their valuables before escaping in their luxury cars,” she said.

Asked about the increase in attacks, Middleton said she could not discuss crime statistics.

A police source said there had been a number of attacks across the Sunnyside policing cluster.

“It really is getting out of hand and they are becoming more frequent and more violent,” he said, citing last week’s attack which saw a Menlo Park home owner shot and paralysed, another shot in the arm and a third hijacked.

The police officer said an urgent revision of crime fighting strategies was needed to bring the attacks under control.

“The guys carrying out these attacks are not scared, not even of the police, and are operating whenever and wherever they want to.

“It is clear that they are in charge,” he said.

Anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of those involved in the latest house robbery can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111. - Pretoria News