Takkies make comeback on thief

2003-11-17 22:44

Borrie la Grange

Pretoria - His long-lost sport shoes on the feet of a dead burglar was all the proof a Pretoria man needed to know that this man had been in his house before.

Hein Schnetler, 37, surprised two burglars in his house in Meyers Park while they were packing up his belongings.

"It was dark. The security gate was broken and the back door was open. I saw suitcases with clothes and two silhouettes through the bedroom window," said Schnetler.

He fetched his gun and entered the house. One of the men attacked and stabbed him in his left forearm.

"I felt something hit my arm. I stood back and fired into the dark. Both men fell down."

After phoning the police, he went to investigate and found the dead burglar with a bullet wound in his head. The accomplice escaped, probably unharmed.

"He had on my takkies and watch that were stolen in another burglary last month.

"I also found the other burglar's shoes. He took my new takkies and left his old ones there," said Schnetler.

He had lost goods to the value of about R40 000 in the previous burglary.

- Beeld