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Dominee shot during robbery
19/06/2007 10:43  - (SA)  

Dominee Roy Thorne recovers in a Durbanville hospital after being shot during a robbery at his rectory. (Natalie Gabriels, Die Burger)

Jan Gerber, Die Burger

Cape Town - A dominee from the NG Kerk in Moorreesburg apparently swore for the first time in his life, according to his wife, after robbers shot and wounded him in the rectory.

Dominee Roy Thorne, 53, was recuperating in Durbanville Medi-Clinic after surgery on Sunday afternoon. The bullet that hit him in the hip could not be removed.

Thorne was lying in bed about 07:00 on Sunday with his 10-month-old grandchild on his chest while his wife, Chrissie, 52, was preparing breakfast for their guests - a couple and their nine-year-old son. The guests had earlier packed their vehicle and didn't close the security gate.

Four men entered the house in Vlok Street while Mrs Thorne and the guests were eating breakfast. "I saw a robber with a gun coming round the corner," she said on Monday. "I thought: Oh no!"

The robbers grabbed jewellery, cellphones and car keys, demanded money and searched the house.

'The Lord provided'

According to Thorne "the Lord provided" that the robbers didn't enter his bedroom or that of his sleeping son, Francois, 20.

Meanwhile Mrs Thorne offered the robbers breakfast in order to gain time. "I don't want food, I want money!" one of them told her.

After the robbers had been inside the house for about half an hour, Mrs Thorne managed to warn her husband. He took out his firearm and walked down the passage.

"You bliksem! What are you doing inside my house?" he said when he saw a robber. According to his wife, that was the first time he ever swore in his life.

"I battled to remove the safety clip - and then they shot at me," he said.

Ears still ringing from shots

The robbers fired four to five shots at him before fleeing with cash, jewellery and the house and car keys. "My ears are still ringing from those shots. Through it all the Lord protected me. The bullet didn't touch any nerves and I can still use my leg."

Thorne lauded his wife for remaining calm throughout the incident. "She has hidden talents that I'm only now discovering. I should appreciate her more."

Mrs Thorne said she simply didn't want them to shoot her husband.

According to Thorne, this type of incident was unusual in Moorreesburg, where they had been living for the past 23 years. He warned people to be prepared.

He also believed that "the Lord talks to one through bad things".

"The empathy of the whole community touched me."

Quick reaction from police

He was also impressed by the police's quick reaction. They provided counselling for their guests' son within 20 minutes.

Rautie Rautenbach, the chairperson of the church council, said a rustle went through the shocked church when he announced the incident during the morning service, which would have been led by Thorne. "There was a protecting hand over him."

According to police spokesperson Superintendent Billy Jones, two of the four men were armed with guns and they fled in a white vehicle.

Anybody with information can call the Moorreesburg police station at 022 433 2766, or the Crime Stop number 008600 10111.