Robbers threaten to roast child in oven

Durban - Four men threatened to oven roast a five-year-old girl if her family failed to hand over valuables during a house robbery in Verulam, north of Durban, on Tuesday morning.

“At approximately 8.54am members of Reaction Unit were called out to the home by one of the victims. Upon arrival it was established that four suspects had gained entry into the residence through an open door and held up the family, a domestic worker and a tiler who was hired to do alterations at the home,” said Prem Balram, Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson.

Balram said one man was armed with a 9mm gun. The men demanded to be shown the safe and threatened to roast a girl if they failed to comply.

“One of the victims led the suspects to a bedroom and pointed out the safe which was concealed in a cupboard. The suspects ripped the safe off the wall with a spade. They then restrained the victims with the use of cable ties and nylon ropes before locking them in one of the bedrooms. They then fled the home with the safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash and seven cellphones. It could not be confirmed what vehicle the suspects fled in,” he said.

Balram said the family managed to free themselves and contacted Rusa for assistance. Rusa officers found a magazine with ammunition in one of the bedrooms, which is believed to have been dropped by the men during their escape.

“One of the victims suffered abrasions to her hands from the restraints. The child was not injured during the robbery,” said Balram.