Two suspects were arrested in connection with a house-robbery on a smallholding in Grahamstown on Wednesday in which one person was severely assaulted.
Police spokesperson, Captain Mali Govender, said the suspects, aged 18 and 26, were found inside the house.
Govender said there were two retirees between the ages of 70 and 75 in the house, one of whom was severely assaulted.
She said he was taken to hospital in a stable condition while the second victim was not harmed but was severely traumatised by the ordeal.
Govender said at this stage its not known how many suspects were involved.
Meanwhile, a Hi Tec Security manager in Grahamstown, Derek Richardson, said in their effort to destroy the alarm on the property in Belmont Valley, the attackers inadvertently set it off.
He told Algoa FM News that the first armed response officer arrived on the scene within three minutes of their control-room receiving alerts from multiple alarm zones on the property shortly after 5 pm on Wednesday.
Richardson said the officer, Steven Benn, called for back-up and with the two additional officers, they entered the property.
"Two elderly male victims were found, one outside with hands and feet tied with bags and a towel over the head, badly beaten, while the second was found inside the house. Officers met resistance from two attackers in their early twenties who were waiting inside, one armed with a sword who tried to use it. But, both were neutralised with hand-to-hand combat and pepper spray," he said.
The arrested criminals were handed over to police while Guardmed paramedics provided the required medical attention to the victims.
Richardson said that follow up investigations led to the arrest of a third suspect and the recovery of a vehicle allegedly used in the incident.
He has also urged communities to report any suspicious activities.
