"I had just gotten into bed and switched off the light ... it was 12.20am. There were a total of 18 shots all in all ... I counted them. It sounded more like they were coming from Lakeside area of Modderfontein, or else from the Douglas Road area [but I think more like Modderfontein, as I have heard them like this a few times before].
"Never heard the 8pm shots at all, and certainly not the 11pm ones, even though I was still up and about at that hour ... quietly working on my computer.Hope this offers some help to resolve ..."
Update: I got home to my wife Karen some time after 9. She had heard gunshots, but could not confirm their direction or origin. Melody and Owen Williams heard gunshots around 11pm from the northern end of Linbro. Thursday morning, Mario Cremonte confirmed the gunshots - at least eight of them.
Owen and Melody could not have prevented the attack on 111 Hilton, as it occurred so early (around 7pm). Secondly, these guys move like lightning and had Shadrack inside in seconds. All would have appeared normal. As Melody says, there are funny things happening at night.
Update from Silke Kaiser, a trained criminologist, who was there:
(Note, totally unedited, as Silke sent it)
Hi all
An armed robbery occurred at Byerley Stables tonight - but thanks to a pit bull and to a quick thinking tenant (and owner of the pit bull) no-one was hurt and they only got away with two Blackberries and a Samsung. Of course that is far too much, but they would have managed to achieve a lot more if they had not been thwarted.
At about 8pm, the guard walked up the driveway of Byerley Park to get the feeding bowls for the horses. He was accosted by four men who walked through the open gate - the guard had left the gate open as he was waiting for two more employees to arrive. One of the men held a gun and all spoke Zulu. (the same as the ones who raped our lady in Clulee Road - but I do not think its the same gang as their MO is a bit different.)
They asked the guard for his panic button, which they removed. He told them it is a remote for the gate. They then told him that they want money, which he said he does not have, as he sends his money home. They then told him to take them to his room, which he did. By this stage they had tied his hands together. His wife was in their room and they tied her up also. They threatened to rape her if they were not given money - this is very typical in an armed robbery as it is a means to control the victims. They then left the two of them tied up.
In the meantime, Darryl and Karen, a couple who live on Joan's property in one of her cottages, were at home. Karen had just let out their very young (but large) pit bull into the back garden to do his business. Once he was finished, she walked back in, (with the dog) and sat down in the lounge. The back door leads off the bedroom, and she did not realise that she had been followed in. by an armed man. Lincoln (the pit bull) did realise though, and he immediately attacked the guy who was holding a gun. He fell to his knees, and in that second, Darryl realised what was happening, and jumped up and pushed a cupboard in front of the guy, who started pushing back. The man then decided the better of it, and fled, taking the two Blackberries (bought brand new on Friday) and a Samsung phone.
It is suspected that this is an inside job, even though Darryl did tell me that about three days ago, he heard people at his wall (Byerley is right next to Pharouh's new place at 110 Hilton) and that it is evident that some people had been there as the grass is flattened. I do know however, that Pharouh runs an extremely tight ship, and that if he even suspected anyone, he would report it immediately.
Off the topic, I am in total awe of the pit bull. Anyone who tells me that dogs do not get it, and anyone who uses animals only to make money, does not get it. The pit bull sees grooms every single day of his life, and does not show any of them aggression, how did he know within one milli second that this man meant harm? It could not be the body language from his owners, as they were not aware of anything until the dog had brought the guy down to his knees. That dog deserves a purple heart award. When I got there the dog was locked up, but was like putty in my hands, a very soft and gentle animal.
In my armed robbery, my dogs also immediatley knew that the guys meant me harm, and when the one guy brought a towel and a dish cloth to my bed, and then asked me if I was scared of being raped, his answer was one dog bite, from the dog who I got from the SPCA, who is terrified of any overhead shadows. That dog just knew.
I am going to contact the captain tomorrow for the rape case, as I said I would contact her on 7th April, and I will also follow up this case with the police.
Even though this does not lessen the trauma for those involved, thank G-d that no-one was raped, or shot, and also that the dog was not shot.
Whew. What a night.
Silke - gonna kiss all my dogs now - no tongue :)
At about 7pm four Zulu-speaking men, at least one armed with a pistol, gained access to Byerley Park Stables at 111 Hilton Road. They first held up the night guard, Shadrack, tied him up and gagged him, and forced him to take them to his room at the back. They took his cellphone and demanded cash or they would rape his wife. He had no cash of note as he repatriates his earnings.
They knew what they were doing and gained access to one of the main properties, where six young folk were watching TV. They quietly forced a back door, which seemed to have been left unlocked, indicating it could have been an inside job.
As the gun came around a corner, preceding the robber, one young man, Darrel (spelling presumed), acted quickly and pulled down a cupboard, blocking access. Their young pitbull, Lincoln, leapt at the men, who fled, taking cellphones and cash.
This is the mess caused by the cupboard crashing down: it probably saved them from a far worse fate:
SAPS was there in five minutes, ADT in 10, and Silke and Theo de Groot arrived within minutes of me. Everyone traumatised, but OK. The four men are on the run and the Flying Squad are hunting for them.
Lessons:
* It seems to be an inside job
* These men had clearly been monitoring Byerley Park's movements for a long time - they knew exactly what they wanted
* There is much long grass at the back: I have made my gardener William available to clear it starting tomorrow
* It was the first such attack in three decades at 111 Hilton Road
* Despite the fact that the place is so busy and has high levels of traffic, these guys got in undetected
I will update as news becomes available.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment