KZN robbers cut dog's throat, tie up owner

Ruthless KwaZulu-Natal robbers slit a dog's throat before tying up its owners during a brazen house robbery in Kloof on Friday morning, a security company spokesperson said.

It is suspected that the robbers may have used a spike from the gate to the driveway to slit the dog's throat.

"Four armed robbers, one of them a woman, had entered the property and cut the throat of the resident's bull terrier with a sharp object, possibly one of the spikes from the driveway gate. They had derailed the driveway gate to gain entry before tying up the resident," Blue Security spokesperson Andreas Mathios said on Friday.

According to Mathios, a neighbour alerted security and an armed response officer attended the scene in Peace Road around 05:50.

He said the assailants fled the scene and took televisions, jewellery, a cellphone, a handbag and other valuables, which they loaded into the home owner's Hyundai i10.

Mathios said the dog was still alive.

Read: Elderly woman shot dead, son-in-law wounded in Durban home robbery

"The dog's condition is unclear at this stage as it will be taken to the vet for treatment this morning. No other injuries were reported," he added.

He said the neighbour heard the victim's screams and contacted the security company for assistance.

"When our officer arrived at the scene, he went inside to investigate and heard the resident screaming for help. He saw her through a window tied up, sitting on the floor inside a bedroom. He noticed two doors were open and ran into the bedroom and untied her, noticing that there was blood on the floor," Mathios said.

He added that the resident told the officer that the assailants had stabbed the dog.

"[The security officer] found the dog lying near a couch in the dining room," Mathios said.

He advised residents to be alert.

ALSO READ: Burglars planning house robberies poisoning dogs, vet warns

"If you suspect that there is an intruder on the property, instead of going outside to investigate, which could place you at risk of being ambushed by armed suspects, contact your security company and the police for assistance."

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed the incident and said police were investigating a robbery.