Prized jewellery stolen in home invasion

FIFTY-FOUR years ago, a Verulam bride was given a 22-carat gold bracelet by her groom on their wedding day. It was her most prized possession. However, on Monday, the bracelet and other jewellery were stolen during an armed robbery at their home.

The woman, 74, said she was in the kitchen with her 3-year-old granddaughter when the incident occurred.

Her husband, 79, who was sitting outside their home, was the first to be attacked.

The family asked for their names not to be published.

The woman said: “Four armed robbers, all wearing balaclavas, entered our property and held a gun to my husband. They pushed him inside the house and another robber held a gun to my head.

“I thought about pressing the panic button, but I was too afraid they might kill me.”

The woman said the men were aggressive and threatened to kill them unless their orders were followed.

“They went into every room and went through all our cupboards looking for valuables. The jewellery was kept in a wooden kist in our bedroom. They stole all my wedding jewellery, other bangles, earrings, watches, necklaces and rings. The jewellery was valued at about R200 000.”

At one point one of the robbers pulled her by the arm and took her to an outbuilding where her son lived.

“My son saw me with the robber but before he could do anything, we were both pushed inside the building. The robber demanded my ring and earrings before he left, and locked us inside.”

As the men left, they fired into the air.

Meanwhile, a relative who had seen the robbers but was not noticed by them, called Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), a private security company, for help. They arrived a short while after the robbers left.

The woman and her son were freed from the outbuilding by her husband.

“I am thankful to God for protecting us,” she said.

“My husband gave me that bracelet on our wedding day 54 years ago. He had worked really hard to save and buy it for me. It is yellow gold with patterns. I really cherished it and I cannot believe it is gone. My jewellery was something I had planned to share among my 14 grandchildren so they would always remember us.”

One of the couple’s granddaughters said she believed the jewellery would be sold to pawn shops in exchange for cash.

“These criminals know the stores that don’t ask any questions. The police need to start their investigation at these places.”

She said her grandparents were targeted because they were elderly and would not fight back.

“They took advantage of this, and they also know that most Indian families keep jewellery at home.”

Prem Balram, the head of Rusa, said: “It is common that when a robbery occurs in an Indian home, the first items the robbers ask for is jewellery. The robbers also go to the prayer place because they are aware that people keep money in this area.”

Balram said it was safer to keep jewellery in a storage facility.

“From our experience, these jewellery items are sold to pawn shops that are not reputable.

“The jewellery is usually damaged so that it cannot be identified.”

Thembeka Mbele, a police spokesperson, confirmed that a case of house robbery had been opened at Verulam SAPS and said investigations were under way.