PIGG’S PEAK – Nine firearms and a Mercedes-Benz sedan belonging to Pigg’s Peak Acting Mayor, Councillor Absalom Ndlovu, were yesterday morning stolen during a break-in at his house, situated at Glen Township.
According to sources privy to the matter, the incident occurred at around 11am. Three armed unknown men are said to have jumped over the fence to gain entry into the acting mayor’s home. This publication yesterday established that Ndlovu was in legal possession of the stolen firearms. It could not be immediately established how the suspects knew that the mayor had the firearms in his house. Sources said it appeared as if the intention of the suspects was to steal the firearms.
Ndlovu confirmed that his nine guns and a Mercedes-Benz had been stolen by unknown people. “I was not at home and they found my wife. They assaulted her and tied her up. They were carrying guns in a duffle bag, which they threatened to shoot my wife with. They came prepared with tools they used to forcefully open our safe and steal the guns,” said Ndlovu.
The acting mayor highlighted that the unknown people jumped over the fence to gain entry into their home. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the theft of the Mercedes-Benz and nine firearms, in a statement she issued yesterday.
“The police are seeking assistance from the public in locating a white Mercedes-Benz sedan, which was stolen while parked in a garage at Glen Township,” she said. However, Vilakati later said the motor vehicle had been found abandoned. She said no one had been arrested in connection with the crime so far. The police further warned that the suspects were considered dangerous as they stole nine firearms at the same homestead.
Housebreaking
Last Tuesday, following a string of housebreaking and robbery crimes at Glen Township, residents, the police and town council officials, met at Gobolondlo Hall where a neighbourhood watch scheme of the township was officially launched. The meeting was chaired by Hhohho Regional Crime Prevention Coordinator Veli Mbatha. A senior police officer based in Pigg’s Peak confided to this publication that break-ins, such as it had been the case with the robbery at the acting mayor’s house, were now committed in broad daylight in the area.
“The level of crime has increased such that the crimes are carried out during the day, when the house occupants are away at work. It means those committing the crimes stay not too far because they are able to monitor the movements of the people they intend to rob,” said the police. Meanwhile, other housebreaking crimes at Glen Township committed this year include robbery of a Pakistan national on January 16, 2023, where a laptop, four cellphones and cash amounting to E10 000 were stolen. It total, the thugs reportedly went away with items valued at E27 000.
The Pakistani businessman, operating a shop around town, said the incident happened at around 3am. Further, it was reported that there were two more break-in attempts in two houses in the same area and police were able to promptly respond and stop the attempted break-ins. In a different incident, thugs are said to have broken into a doctor’s flat at Glen Township, while he was asleep.
According to sources, the thugs woke the medical practitioner up and started to heavily assault him. They are said to have also stolen some of his electronic gadgets, which included a television set and clothing items. It was also reported that the thugs forced him into his car, which had been parked outside the flat while they continued to assault him.They then took the items they had stolen from his house, loaded them into his car and drove away. The criminals returned with the doctor’s car after transporting the items they had stolen and parked it where they had initially found it parked.