Glenwood students robbed of 10 laptops by armed gang

A gang of armed robbers held up Glenwood students and a resident in McDonald Avenue after luring him outside on Saturday night.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said the gang made a noise outside at the driveway gate and he went outside to investigate. The incident occurred at around 8.30pm.
“The gang of five suspects held up the resident at gunpoint and forced him back into the building and up the stairs to the space where students are accommodated. They robbed the students of ten laptops and two cellphones before fleeing the scene. No injuries were reported,” Mathios said.
Umbilo SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
Mathios advised residents to be vigilant and to never go outside to investigate suspicious noises on their properties, especially at night when suspects can easily lie in wait and ambush their victims. “If you hear any suspicious noises on your property or your dogs begin to bark and you suspect there may be an intruder in the garden, rather press your panic button than go outside to find out what’s going on. You never know whether an intruder is armed and dangerous and if you take them by surprise and confront them there is the risk of facing serious injury.”
“Rather press your panic button and lock yourself in a safe room in the property which has been pre-equipped with a spare cellphone, preferably with the Blue Security Mobile App downloaded so that you can use it as a spare remote panic button if needed in an emergency.”
Mathios said gangs sometimes preferred to target homes when residents were there, because it made it easier for them not to set off the alarm system by breaking in and to access valuables such as cash and safes so that they can make a quicker getaway.