Police have launched a manhunt for four heavily armed men who robbed an Italian property mogul’s East London home of jewellery and antiques worth over R1-million and an undisclosed amount of cash on Monday.
The attack happened in Southernwood’s St Marks Road at 10.30am.
The vintage jewellery and antiques belong to well-known Vittorio Zanocelli, 84, a retired businessman who owns several blocks of flats in Southernwood and a drycleaner in Caxton Road in the CBD.
A frail and soft-spoken Zanocelli said he came to South Africa and opened his businesses 37 years ago.
The house is used as an administration office, where his daughter Susan Hayes is in charge.
Hayes had to be rushed to hospital after suffering trauma.
Hayes said the men, driving a white van with a GP registration and wearing overalls, pretended to be from a courier business delivering a parcel for his father.
The men all drew firearms before tying her up with cable ties.
“I was traumatised, I was roughed up,” a sobbing Hayes told the Daily Dispatch.
Hayes said Monday started like any normal day until the intercom rang at 10.30am.
She opened the remote gate.
Her husband, Greg, said the men looked “professional”.
She continued: “Two guys got out, opened the back of the van, and took out a big box. I asked where are you from and they said the parcel is from Durban for Mr Zanocelli.
“I thought something was not right so I asked where is a waybill, and as he showed me a waybill he had a gun pointed at me. He said I should keep quiet and that I won’t get hurt because this is a robbery.”
Hayes said the men rushed inside the house and tied her up with cable ties before putting her in the first room in the corridor. “I screamed and the domestic worker came out.”
The men took the elderly worker too and tied her up, as well as her daughter, who was visiting at the time.
Hayes said she gave her traumatised domestic worker time off.
Once the robbers gained control of the home, they started to search for the treasures kept in locked rooms, demanding keys to all the rooms.
Hayes said: “I said I don’t have keys. I could give you money, but they refused.”
The men then started kicking the doors open and took all the treasure they could find in the house.
Hayes said after the men were finished looting, they put the three women in a back room and tried to depart but could not get out of the locked front gate.
“They came back and asked how they can get out so I told them there was a remote at the front.”
The men took the domestic worker’s daughter to open for them and drove off, leaving her behind.
The interview with Hayes was cut when a police forensic expert arrived to take fingerprints.
Hayes said the men were well-spoken with one of them “very cheeky”. “They kept telling me don’t look! Don’t look!”
East London police spokeswoman warrant officer Hazel Mqala said a docket had been opened. Cases of thieves pretending to be professionals to gain entry to rob private homes was on the rise, she added.
“I would like to warn the public to be extra vigilant. We are dealing with too many house robberies carried out by con artists pretending to be service providers.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Brazen R1m jewellery heist in EL
The attack happened in Southernwood’s St Marks Road at 10.30am.
The vintage jewellery and antiques belong to well-known Vittorio Zanocelli, 84, a retired businessman who owns several blocks of flats in Southernwood and a drycleaner in Caxton Road in the CBD.
A frail and soft-spoken Zanocelli said he came to South Africa and opened his businesses 37 years ago.
The house is used as an administration office, where his daughter Susan Hayes is in charge.
Hayes had to be rushed to hospital after suffering trauma.
Hayes said the men, driving a white van with a GP registration and wearing overalls, pretended to be from a courier business delivering a parcel for his father.
The men all drew firearms before tying her up with cable ties.
“I was traumatised, I was roughed up,” a sobbing Hayes told the Daily Dispatch.
Hayes said Monday started like any normal day until the intercom rang at 10.30am.
She opened the remote gate.
Her husband, Greg, said the men looked “professional”.
She continued: “Two guys got out, opened the back of the van, and took out a big box. I asked where are you from and they said the parcel is from Durban for Mr Zanocelli.
“I thought something was not right so I asked where is a waybill, and as he showed me a waybill he had a gun pointed at me. He said I should keep quiet and that I won’t get hurt because this is a robbery.”
Hayes said the men rushed inside the house and tied her up with cable ties before putting her in the first room in the corridor. “I screamed and the domestic worker came out.”
The men took the elderly worker too and tied her up, as well as her daughter, who was visiting at the time.
Hayes said she gave her traumatised domestic worker time off.
Once the robbers gained control of the home, they started to search for the treasures kept in locked rooms, demanding keys to all the rooms.
Hayes said: “I said I don’t have keys. I could give you money, but they refused.”
The men then started kicking the doors open and took all the treasure they could find in the house.
Hayes said after the men were finished looting, they put the three women in a back room and tried to depart but could not get out of the locked front gate.
“They came back and asked how they can get out so I told them there was a remote at the front.”
The men took the domestic worker’s daughter to open for them and drove off, leaving her behind.
The interview with Hayes was cut when a police forensic expert arrived to take fingerprints.
Hayes said the men were well-spoken with one of them “very cheeky”. “They kept telling me don’t look! Don’t look!”
East London police spokeswoman warrant officer Hazel Mqala said a docket had been opened. Cases of thieves pretending to be professionals to gain entry to rob private homes was on the rise, she added.
“I would like to warn the public to be extra vigilant. We are dealing with too many house robberies carried out by con artists pretending to be service providers.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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