DURING the night of Tuesday January 28, my house was broken into by four masked thugs who ransacked some of the rooms and assaulted my wife and I. After a life and death struggle during which I sustained a number of wounds, I managed to reach the panic button on the alarm system, after which the intruders fled.
The reaction of the security personnel was fantastic. The response team of Atlas Security arrived literally within seconds with the police not far behind. Within minutes the house was full of Atlas personnel, various departments of the police and two efficient paramedics.
I was overcome with emotion when I realised how caring all these people were. The paramedics gently dressed my wounds, and then waited while the police took statements and their forensic team examined the crime scene.
The paramedics took me to St George's Hospital. I have nothing but praise for all of the people concerned and they have my heartfelt thanks. At the hospital I was attended to immediately by a very caring Dr Thackaray, who gently examined my wounds and dressed them.
Regarding the attack, just how an 82-year-old man bound hand and foot and gagged managed to thwart two young would-be killers will always remain a mystery to me. I rather imagine that someone upstairs had a hand in that, for which I am eternally grateful.
GE Turley, Walmer, Port Elizabeth