Relief for robbed family
Cops praised for arrests, goods recovery
POLICE have recovered goods valued at more than R100 000 stolen from a Cambridge home last week.
Police spokesman Captain Nkosiko Mzuku said the recovered goods included a plasma TV, microwave, electric cooler box, cellphone, video cameras, two X-box consoles, 12 X-box games and 13 gold bangles.
The goods belonged to Patricia Marsh, the school principal of a special needs daycare in Mayfair Road, which is on the same property as the home that was burgled.
Marsh, who along with her young daughter and son were held up by the men in their home, commended the police for their work, saying: “They have been absolutely fantastic and helpful, especially investigating officer, Warrant Officer Sandile Tongo.”
Marsh said the community had rallied behind her after news of the house robbery emerged.
“We would also like to thank them for the support,” she said.
Mzuku said the goods were found in Cambridge location on Thursday during an intelligence-driven operation led by Captain Victor Yekani.
“Three suspects have been arrested. They are between the ages of 21 and 24. They are facing charges of house robbery and will appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Monday,” he said.
The break-in took place shortly after 2am on January 25, when four men allegedly broke a window to gain entry to the property.
Once inside the house, the men located Marsh, who was asleep with her 10-year-old daughter. Her 15-year-old son was asleep in another room.
The men then woke them and rounded them up before robbing them.
“This was more of a home invasion because the suspects did not just steal from us and go. They actually stayed in the house for three hours and tortured us,” Marsh told the Dispatch yesterday.
Although a lot of items that were stolen had not been recovered, Marsh stressed that the police needed to be applauded for their hard work in the investigation.
Cambridge police station commander Brigadier Nomso Siganga, who handed the recovered goods over to Marsh said: “We would like to urge the members of the community not to buy stolen goods from people on the street.
“This creates a market for stolen items and further increases house break-ins,” Mzuku cautioned. — zwangam@ dispatch.co.za