A drug rehabilitation facility in Sweet Valley was hit by three armed robbers who held 14 people, including patients, hostage while they raided two safes and made off with jewellery and cellphones.
Sweet Valley is near Constantia where police believe a syndicate is targeting homes, farms, security complexes and big properties along private roads.
Five robberies have taken place in Groot Constantia, Constantia, Diep River and Kirstenhof over the past three to four weeks.
In the latest incident, three men gained access to the property at 11.30 am on Thursday by climbing over a wooden fence that backs onto a greenbelt that runs along the M3, said Kirstenhof police spokesperson Inspector Rodney Franks.
At the time there were 14 people in the house and out in the garden. They were all forced into the yard and ordered to lie face down on the ground by an armed robber who told them to remove their belongings which included jewellery, cellphones and cameras.
"Then the two other perpetrators, one with a knife and another with a screwdriver, forced a staff member to show them where the safe was."
A Constantia Hill neighbourhood watch report said after they removed the cash from the safe, they insisted on finding another one.
They cleared out the second safe as well.
They then locked all 14 in a bedroom before they left the property by jumping over the same wooden fence into the greenbelt where they made off on foot.
Their faces were visible and fingerprints have been lifted from the scene.
Two residents suffered minor injuries after one was pistol whipped and another hit in the face with a hammer. No shots were fired.
Frank said between R12 000 to R14 000 was stolen.
No arrests have been made.
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