Panic button pressed '3 times'

2007-11-21 07:42

André Damons

Johannesburg - A woman from Kempton Park on the East Rand is furious because ADT security took longer than 50 minutes to react to a panic button alarm set off while her 99-year-old mother and their domestic worker were being robbed.

Ria Ferreira from Esterpark, Kempton Park, was greeted at home by a hysterical domestic worker, Peulina Ntombeli, 46, on Friday. That was after three armed robbers had overpowered and robbed Ntombeli and Babsie Krause, Ferreira's mother.

"I am so angry that I don't think I'll ever feel another emotion. Three panic buttons, and they didn't even call," said Ferreira on Tuesday.

Ntombeli and Krause, who were still in bed, were surprised by three "young, silent armed men" at about 08:00 on Friday morning in their home in Rooigom Street.

Robbers threatened them

According to Ntombeli one of the robbers held a pistol against her head while his accomplices searched the house.

"Two of them were inside the room and one told me not to move. He hit me and pushed me around when I told the madam (Krause) to push the button," said Ntombeli, who was also threatened with a pistol last year.

Krause said she saw the men come in, but thought they were coming to fix something.

"I didn't even know what was going on. I was sitting in bed eating porridge when they entered. They searched my room and shook out an old purse lying on the nightstand to see if there was something inside.

"I'm not used to this, it never happened in my time," said Krause.

Ntombeli later locked the older woman into the bathroom to protect her.

The robbers took two cellphones, a DVD-player, a radio, jewellery and a CD player and Ntombeli pushed the panic button for ADT three times - to no avail.

Ferreira switched off the alarm with her code number when she got home.

She was not concerned about the stolen goods, but was angry because ADT took so long to react.

"An ADT guard arrived only 50 minutes after the button had been pushed the first time. He had a smile on his face as if he was on a Sunday afternoon drive and asked 'How are you?' I chased him away," said Ferreira.

Roy Rawlins, managing director of ADT in Johannesburg, said a full investigation was being done and they would meet with the family this afternoon.

"Under normal circumstances it should not take an official longer than six minutes to react. The guard's reaction will be investigated, but he has had a clean record for seven years," he said.

- Beeld