Farmer 'helps' robbers

2003-11-24 12:35

Retha Fourie

Polokwane - A farmer unwittingly offered to help three armed men who had just robbed a couple in Vaalwater, Limpopo police said on Sunday.

The three men allegedly attacked Shap Lindhout and his wife Bettie in their house in Vaalwater about 19:30 on Saturday.

"They said they wanted guns, money and jewellery."

After helping themselves to beer and cheese in the Lindhout's kitchen, the men made off with some of the Lindhouts' belongings and their Camry.

About 25km out of town the driver lost control of the car, burst through a fence and landed in a ditch at the roadside.

They walked to a nearby farmhouse where they sought help.

The weekend farmer, who does not want to be named, offered to help the men get their car back on the road. He accompanied them to the car on foot.

Seeing it would be more difficult than expected to get the car on the road, the farmer offered to fetch a vehicle to tow the car.

They men must have started to panic, because they declined further help and said all they needed was a pair of pliers.

When the farmer returned home, his wife apparently asked him what type of car the men were driving, as she had heard that a Toyota Camry had been stolen in town.

The suspects allegedly made off when they couldn't get the badly damaged car to start.

Captain Malesela Ledwaba for Limpopo police the incident was "only a robbery in which nobody was hurt".

No arrests have been made yet.

- Beeld