A Belgravia family say they are living in fear after two break-ins at their home in just over two weeks.
Shabaana Mahomed-Hector says she and her husband, Hoosain Hector, and their two children, aged 12 and 10, find it hard to sleep after the break-ins on Sunday February 4 and Tuesday February 20.
“We’ve always felt safe in the house. So much so that we sometimes left our back door open to air the house. Now we are living in fear. The thing that scares us most is that we suspect they are using crowbars because the house is well secured,” Ms Mahomed-Hector said.
The Eighth Avenue house has a courtyard at the back, and that is where the intruders got in both times. The first time, they cut through aluminium-framed windows and a security gate and took a toolbox, beach chairs and a beach umbrella.
During the second break-in, they triggered the alarm when they tried to get into the kitchen. They damaged security gates, cut through a back door and took clothes, a vacuum cleaner and chlorine for the pool.
Ms Mahomed-Hector fears it is only a matter of time before they suffer a third break-in.
“After the first break-in, we got some help from one of our neighbours to install secure mesh-like burglar bars. We had to pay about R3 000 to secure it. But the second time they came, they even broke that too, and we thought that was secure. There is also a high wall built in the backyard, but not even that could keep the vandals and thieves away. They were on a mission to get into the house. We never thought this would happen to us.”
Athlone police spokeswoman Sergeant Zita Norman said break-ins were a growing problem in Belgravia.
“We have noticed an increase of crime in Belgravia, including theft out of motor vehicles and house break-ins. For this reason, we have increased our patrols. Our patrols have been very intensive, and we have also been doing stop-and-searches, especially when we spot someone pushing a wheelie bin or shopping trolley,” she said.
Call Athlone SAPS at 021 697 9238 or 021 697 9239 or the SAPS emergency number at 10111 to report crime.
