A four-year-old girl was subjected to a terrifying ordeal during a violent home invasion in Hazelmere, KwaZulu-Natal, in the early hours of Wednesday, after armed suspects allegedly impersonated South African Police Service (SAPS) officers to gain access to a home.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) confirmed that the incident took place at the residence of a 29-year-old Malawian national who also operates a tuck shop next to her home.
Suspects posed as SAPS officers
According to Rusa, four suspects arrived at the property claiming to be police officers. Although dressed in civilian clothing, they allegedly displayed SAPS name tags and badges.
“They accused the woman of dealing drugs, despite her running a grocery tuck shop,” Rusa said.
One suspect was reportedly armed with a firearm, another carried a knife, while the remaining suspects proceeded to ransack both the house and the tuck shop.
Child subjected to horrifying ordeal
During the robbery, the suspects allegedly turned on the children inside the home.
“One of the suspects placed the four-year-old child inside a washing machine and attempted to switch it on but failed,” Rusa said.
Despite the traumatic experience, the four-year-old and her siblings, aged nine and three, were not physically injured.
Items stolen during the robbery
The suspects made off with several items, including:
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Approximately R200 in cash
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An undisclosed amount of coins
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A torch
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A sack of cabbage
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Packs of Russian sausages
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Several cartons of cigarettes
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The victim’s cellphone
The stolen cellphone prevented the victim from contacting authorities immediately after the incident.
Community assistance and prior robbery
Community members later assisted the woman, and Reaction Unit South Africa was contacted on Wednesday morning.
The victim also revealed to reaction officers that she had previously been robbed at the same premises on December 26, raising concerns about repeat targeting and community safety in the area.
Police impersonation raises alarm
The incident has once again highlighted the growing trend of criminals posing as law enforcement officers to commit serious crimes, particularly against foreign nationals and small business owners.
Authorities have urged residents to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be police officers and to report suspicious activity immediately.
