Two house robberies within two hours in Nelson Mandela Bay

Two house robberies occurred within two hours of each in Nelson Mandela Bay on Tuesday morning.

The first saw a 25-year-old woman robbed inside her flat in the Portadown Complex, in Morningside, at about 2am.

According to police, the woman woke up to a man inside her bedroom, armed with a knife.

Police spokesperson Captain Johan Rheeder said the woman’s husband had just left the flat and she thought he had returned.

“When she turned around, she saw the man inside the room. He put his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming and then threatened her."

Rheeder said the suspect gained entry through the living room window, bending the burglar bars open.

“The man stole a television, money and bank cards before running away.”

As he fled, the woman screamed, sounding the alarm.

In another robbery at 3.10am, a 29-year-old woman was robbed inside her house in Walmer township.

“She was asleep when two men kicked the front door open, one of them firing a shot into the house.

“The men stole four cellphones, money, a laptop and clothing.”

Due to the commotion, a resident went to investigate and saw the men fleeing on foot

“A tip-off was received a short while later that one of the men was seen running into a nearby shack.”

Rheeder said police raided the shack and arrested the man.

“The stolen laptop and cellphones were found inside the shack. However the firearm that was used,  was not found,” he added.

The search for the second robber is ongoing.

The man is due to appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for house robbery.