Robbers hold up Symcox with own gun

Robbers hold up Symcox with own gun
November 2011 By Tanya Waterworth


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AFP

Pat Symcox

Former Proteas and Natal player Pat Symcox has warned holidaymakers to be on their guard after he had his own firearm pointed at him in a robbery at his South Coast house this week.

Symcox said he and his wife, Liz, were asleep in their home at Mtwalume when he was woken by his dog barking outside his window in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

“I got up to go to the toilet and as I came back into the room, I came face to face with the intruder, who was holding my gun,” said Symcox, adding that he normally slept within reach of his firearm and that the intruder must have been in the room when he first awoke.

The intruder fled down the hall and escaped through a window.

“There must have been at least two robbers in the house, as it appears they were passing stuff out through the window,” said Symcox. His laptop and other belongings, including his gun, were taken.

His property has electric fencing and security gates he said crime tended to increase at KwaZulu-Natal holiday spots at this time of year.

“We don’t tend to have violent crime, but there has been an increase in house-breaking over the past few months.

“Holidaymakers tend to become relaxed, leave the windows open and even wear valuable jewellery and watches to the beach,” said Symcox.

Last week a Braamfontein mother and her son were robbed at the Cutty Sark Hotel in Scottburgh at about 10pm on Wednesday.

At around 4am on Thursday a woman was woken up and raped at the Blue Marlin Hotel, which is about a kilometre from the Cutty Sark. Cash, cellphones and bank cards were stolen from her.

In Richards Bay this week, a holidaymaker was raped just after arriving at a self-catering holiday flat with her teenage sons and their friends.

Four men confronted the group and the woman was pistol-whipped and raped, while the four teens were forced to watch.

After robbing the group, the gang hustled the five hostages to another holiday unit, where they held up another couple.

The gang fled in the rape victim’s car, which was recovered by the police the next day.

SAPS spokesperson, Capt Debbie Ferreira, said no arrests had yet been made, but that detectives had been working tirelessly on the case.

“This family arrived looking forward to a relaxing five- day holiday. Richards Bay is always busy with the influx of holidaymakers starting at this time of year, and we ask all visitors to keep alert,” she said.

National police spokesman Colonel Vish Naidoo said the massive deployment of police officers into Durban and immediate surrounds for the COP17 Climate Change Conference would not compromise safety in other areas.

“We are using officers who have given up their rest days and others who are working overtime.

“The high deployment of police is expected to benefit general crime-fighting operations,” said Naidoo. - Independent on Saturday