A burglar has bled to death after impaling himself on a fence outside a house he was stealing from in Pretoria, South Africa. The incident occurred in the early hours of May 6, when the 54-year-old homeowner was awakened by his dogs barking at a forced-open window.
Homeowner Discovers Burglar Impaled on Fence
Upon investigating, the homeowner found items of clothing caught on the palisade fence and a man bleeding and writhing in pain on the driveway. The burglar, who had stolen two Apple MacBook laptops and an iPhone 14, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services.
Police Investigation Underway
Captain Johan van Dyk of the Tshwane district police stated that an inquest will be held into the circumstances of the death, alongside an investigation into housebreaking and theft. The homeowner reported no physical contact with the burglar and activated a panic button that alerted private security.
South Africa faces high burglary rates, with an estimated 441.7 burglaries per 100,000 population last year. Middle and upper-class households often employ extensive security measures such as spiked fences, CCTV, and private guards due to the risk of break-ins, which sometimes involve fatal attacks on homeowners.
