Durban — A Pietermaritzburg woman locked herself in a room after a robber gained entry by breaking in through a window on Wednesday night.
Mi7 National Group spokesperson Colin David said their armed response was immediately dispatched after an Alexandra Road client activated her panic system.
“When control room operators contacted the client, she was hysterical and in clear distress, reporting that she had locked herself in a room after one suspect gained entry by breaking through a window,” David said.
He said when Mi7 reaction officers went to the property, they disturbed the suspect who fled through bushes behind the property with the client's cellphone and other items in hand.
David said luckily the suspect fled before harming the woman.
He said that a description of the suspect was ascertained, and reaction officers swept through the bushes in pursuit of him.
“In the pursuit, the suspect fired a shot toward our reaction officers but luckily nobody was struck by the bullet,” David said.
“Mi7 reaction officers were able to recover the client's cellphone, but the suspect escaped.”
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that a case of house robbery was opened at Alexandra Road police station for investigation.
Gwala said the complainant alleged that she was at her place of residence at Pelham in Alexandra Road when she was accosted by an unknown man.
“At gunpoint the suspect robbed the victim of her cellphone and laptop and fled the scene. The cellphone was later recovered in the yard by the security company,” Gwala said.
Daily News