Busy Easter weekend for break-ins
THE holiday period seemed to have attracted not only lots of visitors to our area but also criminal elements, with a high number of break-ins occurring over the period.
A resident in Greenmantle Drive had a terrifying experience on Sunday when she encountered two burglars in her home. She fled to her bedroom and locked the door, only to have them attempt to break the door down. The door was jammed so she could not get out.
The panic button in the room did not work and by the time she was able to call MultiSecurity, the burglars had fled with a 42-inch flat-screen TV and a DVD player.
MultiSecurity reported that the client was locked in her bedroom and Kowie Key was required to open the door. The response officer reported that the two suspects had gained entry through an open lounge window.
Last Wednesday evening, a break-in was reported in Putt Road. MultiSecurity reaction officers reported that suspects stole a LG DVD decoder and TV.
Earlier that evening, the MultiSecurity control room received a panic alarm from a residence in Southwell Road.
The elderly client, who is a serial victim of robbers – TotT has reported on this previously – was robbed by two men who stole his wallet containing R20.
MultiSecurity Control Room received a phone call from a resident in Croydon Circle at 1am last Thursday. She reported that a friend was staying at the premises and that someone was breaking in. MultiSecurity reaction officers reported that there were no lights on at the premises and they could not see any sign of forced entry anywhere.
The tenant reported that there had been a suspect inside the premises and she heard him trying to open the locked doors in the house. The suspect allegedly fled the premises when he spotted MultiSecurity reaction officers.
At 2am last Thursday, MultiSecurity received a call from a resident in West Beach who reported two vehicles parked near his premises in West Beach Drive playing loud music.
MultiSecurity reaction officers reported that there was a white Isuzu bakkie and a Chevrolet Aveo with Stenden students. He asked them to quiet down and the students left the area.
In the early hours of Friday morning, MultiSecurity control room received a call from a resident who reported a barking dog near the pre-primary school. He reported that the dog had been barking for most of the night. He asked that MultiSecurity reaction officers check the area and see if they could find the animal.
The attending reaction officer reported that they had found the dog and that it had fallen into a manhole and was stuck. He also said they had been able to save the dog. It was uninjured but very cold and shivering. The dog was taken to the Port Alfred SPCA and placed in the care of Anel Slabbert.
On Friday, in Albany Road, a client contacted MultiSecurity control room reporting a break-in at a flat. MultiSecurity reaction officers reported that the suspect/s gained entry by forcing open the back window burglar bars. A 32-inch flat-screen TV, Signature speakers and clothes were stolen. The attending reaction officers reported the alarm was not on.
On Saturday, at the corner of Wiersma and Horton Road, the MultiSecurity control room received an alarm signal at Coates Construction. A MultiSecurity reaction officer was despatched.
He reported that there had been a break-in as the fence had been cut. He also reported that at the building entry had been gained and that the fence had been cut near the bushes at the back. He also reported that a guard would be needed.
Control room informed Roger Coates and he said that he would check the premises in the morning and then decide if he wanted to open a case.
He asked that the guard be posted at the premises
At 2am on Saturday morning, MultiSecurity control room received a call from a barman at The Lounge in Pascoe Crescent. He requested a reaction officer to the scene as people were unruly and throwing bottles around.
A panic call was received on Sunday morning at 6am in Henry Street. MultiSecurity reaction officers attended and reported that the suspects had gained entry through the bathroom window which they had forced open. They only got away with one Samsung cell phone as the client’s daughter saw them and they ran away.
Around the same time, an alarm was received in Bathurst Street at the Ndlambe Multi-Purpose Centre. MultiSecurity reaction officers reported the break-in and noted that all the computers were missing. The doors were open.
On Family Day, a break-in was reported at Compudoc in Campbell Street at 1pm. MultiSecurity reaction officers reported that the suspects had gained entry at the bathroom window where they had taken off the burglar bars and forced open the window with a spade. Five laptops and about R500 in cash was stolen.
At 10pm on Monday, MultiSecurity received an alarm for the office of the director of corporate services at the Ndlambe Civic Centre. MultiSecurity reaction officers made contact with corporate service director Lazola Maneli who said she was on her way to Port Alfred. The reaction officer reported that one of the office windows at the back of the building had been broken.
Maneli said she would report the following morning if anything had been stolen.