News / Africa
Skype video calling prevents robbery in South Africa
30 Apr 2011 at 03:52hrs | Views
Johannesburg - The internet telephone and video calling service, Skype, led to the capture of robbers who attacked a pensioner in his home in the Eastern Cape on Friday, family say.
Roy Hicks, 75, was talking to his son in New Zealand on Friday morning when two robbers broke into his home in Middleton, said his daughter-in-law, Anelta Sneygans.
Hicks jnr watched the robbers tie up his father and ask where the valuables were kept in the house, she said. He then called her in South Africa for help.
Sneygans contacted the police.
"The police service was amazing. They arrived at my father-in-law's house within minutes," she said.
When the robbers tried to flee, the police opened fire on them wounding one in the leg and arresting the other, Sneygans said.
She said her brother-in-law had bought Hicks the computer a week ago. He was using it for the first time to chat to his son via Skype.
Police were not immediately able to confirm the incident.
Roy Hicks, 75, was talking to his son in New Zealand on Friday morning when two robbers broke into his home in Middleton, said his daughter-in-law, Anelta Sneygans.
Hicks jnr watched the robbers tie up his father and ask where the valuables were kept in the house, she said. He then called her in South Africa for help.
Sneygans contacted the police.
When the robbers tried to flee, the police opened fire on them wounding one in the leg and arresting the other, Sneygans said.
She said her brother-in-law had bought Hicks the computer a week ago. He was using it for the first time to chat to his son via Skype.
Police were not immediately able to confirm the incident.
Source - Sapa
