Armed thugs rob family in gated Himalaya Str…residents feel robbed by police and security guard inaction

Despite residents in Laudium and Erasmia, digging deep into their pockets, to protect themselves and their properties from criminals, crime in the security gated areas continues.

Residents are once more questioning how the present security companies were appointed to monitor the gated areas, with many residents saying that it is not enough for committee members overseeing the gated areas, to say that the quote of the present security company was cheaper.

This follows residents alleging that the guards employed presently are neither enough nor properly trained and equipped and that there are very few back up patrols to assist and monitor them, with one resident commenting, “Goedkoop is duurkoop.”

This follows, another week with the Laudium Sun receiving yet more complaints of crime in the area for stats purposes.

In one of the latest incidents, four armed thugs attacked a home on Himalaya Str, in Laudium Ext 2, despite the house being in a gated street area. The armed robbery which took place this past Sunday evening (Nov 2) at around 8pm, has left the Mithal family shocked and highly traumatised, after thugs threatened to shoot family members should they not co-operate with the thugs’ demands of handing over valuables and cash. When asked for comment, a member of the Mithal family said they were too traumatized.

Lawrence Phasha, a security guard from PAJ Community Patrollers who is the private security guard of the Mithal family on Himalaya Street, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “I only work during the day, so I was not there at the time when the robbery took place, as my shift was over, so I went home. I heard the next morning about the robbery that happened at the house. There were four Black male robbers who came from nowhere, driving a car. The four robbers broke the front gate lock and broke the burglar bars of the front door, to gain access. After they went inside the house, they pointed a gun at one of the family members and asked them to show where the safe of the house was. The robbers stole cash, some household items and cell phones and then drove off. The next morning, when I
came back on duty, I was surprised to hear about the robbery and I saw the damage on the property, caused by the robbers. The gate lock was broken, the burglar bars of the front door were bent and damaged, showing clear signs of forced entry. The family was in shock and fear after the terrifying experience that they faced the previous night inside their own home. The robbers came suddenly, did what they wanted and left within minutes, not giving anyone in the neighborhood time to react or even notice. The family was extremely scared as the robbers were armed and aggressive. A gun was pointed at one of the family members while the other thugs searched the rooms and demanded money. I felt responsible, even though the incident took place after my duty hours. I really feel sorry for the family. as I was not able to protect them.”

Veenay Hira of Himalaya Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about the robbery on our street and it was quite shocking as despite having so many gates in our area and security guards at each and every gate, I can’t understand how the robbers gained access to our street and why the security guards didn’t ask them where they were going. The gates are supposed to help the community, but I guess the crime is even worse despite having the gates. We are fed up with the increasing crime rate in our area.”

Osman Alli, also of Himalaya Street, told the Laudium Sun, “Crime is really terrible in our area and almost each and every day we hear about break-ins, thefts or robberies. It has become a constant worry for residents, as no one feels safe in their own homes. People are too scared to leave their houses and even when we are inside, there is always the fear that something could happen at any time. This situation is very frustrating and exhausting for the community. Law enforcement is not doing their job properly. We hardly ever see any police patrols and if they were doing their job properly, so many criminals who are roaming freely in our community would be behind bars, not on the streets. It seems like there is no accountability and the criminals know that they can commit crime without facing serious consequences. Nothing can be done or will be done as long as there are corrupt political leaders in our country and in our communities. When leaders and officials prioritize personal gain over public safety, residents are left to deal with the consequences of rising crime on their own. Families are forced to spend huge amounts on private security measures, gates and cameras, yet even these precautions do not guarantee safety, as the guards are incompetent and we hardly see the private security patrollers. The situation is not just about property loss; it is also about the mental and emotional toll that crime takes on people. The constant worry, fear, and uncertainty affects everyone in the community, from children to the elderly.”