Robber shot dead in attack on elderly couple on Bloemfontein smallholding

A suspected robber was shot dead and his accomplice arrested when security guards foiled an attack on an elderly couple at their smallholding in Bloemspruit, outside Bloemfontein, on Saturday night.

The two suspects, in their 30s, attacked the victims in their house after breaking through a security gate and the door. But they triggered the alarm system in the process.

The men tied up the two victims and assaulted them.

Members from Senforce security responded to the alarm, and found the two suspects still in the house.

“The suspects, who were armed with a panga and a hammer, allegedly attacked the two security guards.

“Security guards retaliated and shot one of the suspects and he died at the scene and managed to arrest the second one,” police spokesperson Col Thandi Mbambo said.

The suspect will appear in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

The victims, aged 70 and 75, were referred to a local hospital for medical treatment.

ER24 said the couple suffered serious head injuries.

“When ER24 paramedics arrived at 9.15pm, both a security company and [police] were on the scene. One of the suspects had been shot and killed, and another apprehended.

“The deceased suspect showed no signs of life and was declared dead on arrival by our paramedics,” ER24 said in a statement.