R3m in jewellery stolen

A 91-YEAR-OLD Walmer woman was left bruised and bleeding after robbers broke into her home and stole R3-million worth of jewellery.

The robbers entered through the bedroom window of Johanna de Lauwere’s Water Road home on Saturday night and accosted her.

De Lauwere suffered bruises and cuts when they ripped her necklace and rings off her.

They also seized a safe containing antique jewellery and money.

The badly traumatised woman, who has Alzheimer’s disease, according to police spokesman Warrant Officer Alwin Labans, was unable to say how many robbers were involved.

“They [robbers] assaulted her and she sustained bruises on her arms, neck and legs,” Labans said.

“They also took a plasma TV, jewellery, shoes and handbags.”

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she became suspicious when she saw a vehicle with its lights off parked outside De Lauwere’s home, and alerted police and Atlas Security.

She said a man had been sitting in the silver Toyota Corolla.

“[An] Atlas [guard] asked the driver what he wanted, and he couldn’t give a reason for being there, and left. However, the car came back again.”

The neighbour said the police were attending to another house robbery in the same road when she called them.

“She [De Lauwere] was bleeding from her hands and neck and was visibly shaken from the ordeal,” the woman said,

Atlas Security operations manager Monty Montgomery said no alarm had been triggered at the victim’s house.

Another neighbour, who also did not want to be named, said she found it odd that De Lauwere was alone at the time, given that she had a full-time caregiver.

Police were unable to say where the caregiver was at the time of the incident.