Elderly couple robbed at Windhoek home

A shocking armed robbery of an elderly couple in Academia marked the start of a crime-filled Independence weekend.

Police said the pensioner couple was attacked at their home on Plato Street early on Friday morning.

The suspects allegedly forced entry through a locked gate, held the couple at gunpoint, and bound their hands and feet with electrical cables before locking them in separate rooms.

The attackers fled with valuables, including cellphones, jewellery and laptops worth approximately N$140 000. No arrests have been made.

Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi confirmed that investigations into the incident are ongoing.

The weekend also saw a series of armed robberies elsewhere in the country. In Ongongolwa village, Tsandi, two suspects allegedly stormed a bar on Friday night, fired shots into the air, and robbed the owner and an attendant of cash and mobile phones before fleeing.

In Swakopmund, police and community patrol teams responded swiftly to a robbery along Strand Street on Saturday evening. Four suspects travelling in a taxi allegedly targeted a couple, stealing mobile phones and bank cards.

A coordinated chase involving police, neighbourhood watch groups and private security companies led to the suspects’ arrest and the recovery of stolen items valued at about N$18 000.

Deaths, drugs and thefts

Several fatal incidents were also recorded over the weekend.

In a tragic incident reported to police in Onesi in the Omusati region, a two-year-old boy drowned in a bucket of water after being left in the care of other children while his guardian briefly went to a nearby shop.

Police listed several drug-related reports with multiple arrests recorded in Karasburg, Mariental, Oshakati, Aranos, Mururani, Osire and Swakopmund.

Suspects were found in possession of cannabis, mandrax and cocaine, often during intelligence-led operations or routine searches.

In a separate case in Oshakati, two men were arrested after being found in possession of elephant tusks without a permit, allegedly intended for illegal sale.

Stock theft remains a major concern in rural areas.

In the Hochfeld area, a suspect was arrested after cattle were allegedly slaughtered at a resettlement farm.

Three carcasses valued at N$60 000 were recovered, while three other suspects remain at large.

Shikwambi said police investigations into all reported incidents are continuing and urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities as authorities work to curb crime nationwide.