Criminals 'gassing' victims
2005-02-15 22:49
Kathy Whitehead
Johannesburg - Police fear that gangs are using a nerve gas to incapacitate residents in their homes before robbing them.
It is understood that criminals release the gas through an open window in a house while residents are asleep.
This puts the victims into a deep sleep, allowing burglars to operate undisturbed.
Chris Wilken of Johannesburg police says they have heard of such attacks.
"But we have no proof and are not sure what (gas) it is," he said.
He urged the public to contact police if they felt they had been drugged in any way before a break-in.
The chairperson of the community policing sector for the Lanseria/Nooitgedacht district west of Johannesburg, Mike van Rooyen, said this modus operandi was common during break-ins in their area.
"We hear of this often," he said. "I am not sure what gas is used, but it definitely happens."
The side effects of the substance used can prove temporarily debilitating to some victims the following day.
Stripped parts off her car
Common symptoms experienced include a burning sensation on the skin, dizziness, nausea, headaches and sleepiness.
A Johannesburg resident, who asked not to be named, fell victim to a similar attack on Sunday night.
Thieves then stripped parts off a car parked next to her open bedroom window.
"On Monday I woke up much later than usual. So did my dogs. I felt dreadful," she said.
"I had a terrible headache, was nauseous, dizzy and the skin on my face was burning."
Later that day, a doctor confirmed that all symptoms pointed towards exposure to some chemical.
"My doctor also said I was not the first person she had seen who had the same symptoms after a robbery."
Wilken, meanwhile, said that if people suspected an attack of this nature they should contact police immediately.
"In fact, memos went out to all police stations asking for feedback on any such attacks.
"If people report this to us we can investigate.
"We can do forensic tests and find out if these claims are true and find out what is being used," he added.
One KwaZulu-Natal victim, Gill Allen, said a Durban police officer told her he believed some criminals burned CDs to get the desired effect.
Allen, who lives on the third floor in a block of flats, said that about a year ago she was burgled while asleep.
Used something to knock her out
"I didn't hear a thing, which was strange as I am a light sleeper," she said.
"When the cops came, one said the burglars could have used something to knock me out.
"He said they burned stuff, even a CD, which has a chemical in it that can affect people," she said.
But KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Vish Naidoo said they had had no reports of such cases in the past two years.
"The last case I know of was in 2002 and we sent forensic teams to investigate, but they could not find any conclusive evidence," he said.
- News24