The RECORD spoke to two of the victims of the Ocean Basket robbery at Lemon Tree Shopping Centre on August 3.
Rudi De Kock and Jaco van Vuuren were eating at the restaurant with their wives and Rudi’s son when the suspects entered the restaurant just after 7pm.
According to Jaco they were sitting next to the entrance with their backs to the door when they heard an impact against the door.
One of the women advised them to remain calm. That’s when the first shot was fired into the restaurant.
According to the men everyone then hit the floor following an order by the man standing at the door.
Rudy said that four suspects then entered the store, two armed running to the back which they believed was towards the safe and two more suspects moved between the patrons of the restaurant.
They will shoot
The suspects were armed with automatic rifles. Two suspects, moving between the people, began to take jewellery and money from the patrons. “They made it clear to the patrons that if they searched them and found anything that wasn’t given to them they were going to shoot the person,” said Jaco.
According to the two victims the two who went to the back returned to the original suspect and told him there was no money and he sent them back to check again.
“The man who was at the door was the one speaking and was clearly in charge,” said Rudi.
The victims indicated that the man spoke clear English with a possible foreign accent.
Rudi told the RECORD there was a certain measure of professionalism in the way the suspects handled the people in the store.
“I believe they didn’t come to the restaurant with the intention of hurting anyone but were after money,” he said.
Fear for women and children
Despite both victims saying that the robbery felt like it took an eternity they estimate the robbery took around 7 to 15 minutes.
The suspects left the scene and Jaco and Rudi ran afterwards with the intention to read the number plates but they were unable to.
They estimate at least 20 shots were fired in the shopping centre with two rounds going into the restaurant.
More shots were fired as the suspects left the scene.
“They weren’t speeding off,” said Jaco, who indicated that they drove off without haste.
Rudi and Jaco both said that the feelings going through them during the robbery was especially fear for the women and children in the restaurant.
“I think the trauma experienced by the children was the worst,” Rudi said.
They both indicated that there were thoughts of fighting back against the attackers but that the safety of the innocent people in the restaurant was more important.
Rudi said that it is important to work through it and not to let the incident influence your future.
To them it is also important that the public are aware of what happens and realise that it is a reality of the world we live in.
The two victims also said that they are unhappy with the way police handled the scene following the incident.
Jaco stated that the police did not take statements from the patrons.
They also spoke about the vulnerability of the restaurant and the ease with which the suspects were able to enter and leave the premises.
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