A man was arrested after Cullinan community members responded to a neighbour's housebreaking incident, Gauteng police said on Tuesday.The housebreaking occurred at a smallholding at 5.10am on Monday morning, said police spokesman Johannes Jafta.
A woman, in her early 40s, was preparing her three sons, aged 14, 12 and 10, for school.
While her oldest child was showering, she entered her bedroom to find three to four men armed with handguns.
They took the mother and her children -- pulling the 14-year-old from the shower -- and tied them up in another bedroom.
Jafta said they stole jewellery and money, then escaped in the woman's car.
As soon as they had left, the victims freed themselves and contacted their neighbours on a short-wave radio. The mother described the robbers and her car.
Community members caught up with the men who were driving in the direction of Mamelodi.
The robbers abandoned the car and ran away. One was captured.
When police arrived, they recovered one handgun and most of the stolen jewellery and money.
Source : Sapa /ts/gj
Date : 17 Feb 2009 10:11
