Two women have been found murdered at the St Johns Stella Londt retirement home in Sunridge Park, Port Elizabeth.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu has just arrived at the scene and confirmed to AlgoaFM News moment's ago that two women had been killed.
It would appear that the incident happened overnight.
The victims were found in separate rooms with their hands and feet bound and their mouths gagged.
Naidu identified them as the 91-year-old Agnes Elaine Burns from East London and the 87-year-old Rosemary Langton.
She says there was no forced entry in the house.
The exact cause of death is unclear at this stage and will be determined once a post mortem had been conducted.
It is alleged that the robbers entered the premises through an unlocked gate and Trellie door on the upper level of the main building in the complex.
Naidu says the suspects entered the first room where they confronted Burns before tying her up and ransacking her room. It is believed that they then moved to Langton's room to do the same.
It is not clear at this stage what was stolen from the victims.
Some residents told Algoa FM News that this was not the first security-related issue on the premises as some recently had their homes and cars broken into.
Erika Landman, a resident who owns a private cottage at the care centre and has been living here for 13 years, says security is of great concern at the centre.
— Kirstie Kiki Paulse (@Kiki_Paulse) October 10, 2019
She says poor management is also a major problem here @AlgoaFMNews. pic.twitter.com/TqOaVHSD3R
The CEO of the St Johns Group of which the home falls under spoke to Algoa FM News shortly after the news broke.
George Woods says they are incredibly and profoundly impacted by the tragedy and will provide the necessary support to staff and residents.
He says he is sending a high-level delegation to Stella Londt and will do what it takes to continue to secure the home and to create a place of safety for residents.
