Robberies appear to be on the increase in Athlone after R35 800 was stolen from a home in Rylands on Monday morning during a house robbery.
Athlone police’s Sergeant Zita Norman said a 49-year-old women, her 17-year-old daughter and their domestic worker were inside the house. Seven men gained access to the property forcefully after using crowbars, before spreading through the house. The women were tied up. One of the women was then forced to take the robbers to the safe and open it for them.
The robbers made off with R35 800 in cash, jewellery and various electronics.
Norman confirmed that the robbers had two firearms, a knife and a crowbar in their possession. No arrests have been made.
A 24-year-old woman was robbed at gun point after stopping her car on Jakes Gerwel Drive early on Saturday morning. It is alleged that she was lost after driving from Kenilworth and tried to ask a passerby for directions. She was then threatened at gun point by one of those she had asked for help. It is understood that the victim was robbed of her iPhone, cash, cigarettes, bank card, jacket and shoes to the value of R8330.
A few hours later, a 43-year-old man was robbed of R11 000 in Hazel Road.
The victim collected the cash from Rawoot Butchery at around 10:45 before returning to his car. Upon opening the boot of his car, a white Audi with an unknown registration number with three unknown males stopped next to him and threatened him with a firearm. The suspects then took the money and fled the scene in their car.
Later on Saturday afternoon a 26-year-old man was robbed of his watch while walking down Temple Street. Police say he was threatened by an unknown man with a firearm. It is believed that his Police watch is valued at R1644.
Anyone with information relating to these crimes can contact Athlone police on 021 697 9238/9.
