A married couple – aged 70 and 75 respectively – were saved from the horrors of a home invasion by quick-thinking security guards on Saturday night.

Two men descended upon the property in Bloemspruit, Free State, with the intention of causing serious harm to their victims and rob them of their valuables.

Free State home invasion: Robber shot dead

It’s understood that the two men broke through the burglar bars at 22:00 on Saturday. That triggered an alarm system, and nearby response teams were on the scene within moments. A physical confrontation played out between the crime-fighters and the thugs, which resulted in one of the guards opening fire on a “hammer-wielding” assailant.

In a statement released over the weekend, the Free State SA Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that one of the robbers died at the scene, whereas the other one was restrained in a non-lethal manner. The surviving attacker was remanded in police custody shortly afterwards:

“Two suspects,, aged about 30 and 31, attacked the two victims in their house. They allegedly gained entrance by breaking the burglar gate and the door and entered the house. Meanwhile the alarm system went off. While in the house, they tied up the victims and assaulted them. “When members from Senforce security responded to the alarm, they found the two suspects still in the house. The suspects, who were armed with a panga and hammer, allegedly attacked the two security guards. The guards retaliated and shot one of the suspects. He died at the scene and they managed to arrest the second one.” Free State SAPS statement

Home invasion thwarted by security guards

A date at Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court awaits the remaining suspect, who will be hauled into the dock on Tuesday 17 December. Thankfully, none of the victims lost their lives during the home invasion, and they have been receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital. They’re expected to return home soon.