The new year began with a very traumatic ordeal for seventy-eight-year-old Wespark pensioner, Sunitha Diharibhai, who was gagged, bound and robbed of her valuables, on Saturday, January 6, at around 10pm.
Police, investigating the case of robbery and theft said that the grandmother's house was ransacked and robbed of valuable items, including some jewellery. The drama unfolded when Sunitha was in her room getting ready for bed while other family members were out on that awful evening. According to police, the thugs entered through a window at the back of the grandmother's house.
Sunitha, who previously resided in Laudium, related to the Laudium Sun,“After finishing a conversation with my friend on the phone, I went to bed and heard a strange sound. When I got up to check, I saw three unknown thieves standing around my bed. They instructed me to be silent and not scream,” said the Billet Lane resident.
Sunitha was pushed around several times before the thugs tied her hands and legs with charging cables. The thugs then gagged her to prevent her from screaming out for help.
“While I was tied up, they forced a towel into my mouth and threw me onto the floor. They ordered me not to move and said they were going to kill me if I did. After robbing me of my jewellery and money, the hoodlums fled through the front door,” she said, still trembling. The traumatised grandmother somehow managed to break free and crawled towards her phone to call her daughter for help.
Sunitha's daughter, Nirmala Sewnarayan (56) said that after receiving the shocking call from her mother, she immediately called the police and rushed to her mom's house. “My mother was in a state of shock and was totally shaken-up. She said that she fears the suspects might return to end her life.”
“Advanced Life paramedics assisted my mother, who was severely traumatised. It's so sad that innocent elderly people are taken advantage of and robbed of their valuable items, which they work so hard to accumulate. I hope that the police catch these greedy perpetrators and put them behind bars. We plan to beef up security at her home and also to let other family members move in," Nirmala said emphatically.
Pretoria West SAPS Communications officer, Captain Mbuso Gumede, said that a case of robbery and theft had been opened and indicated that officers were working tirelessly to make an arrest.
"When you hear someone breaking your doors, unless you are absolutely sure your actions will prevent entry into the house, do not go to the door. Rather call the police immediately just to be on the safe side. Get good, strong doors for your kitchen and use crossbars at the back of doors inside the house.
If you have keys to the burglar doors, never leave them inside the house. A few safety tips can prevent house break-ins,” advised Mbuso.
Traumatised: Sunitha Diharibhai (78).
The Maggs Street home where a grandmother was attacked whilst other family members were out.