Alex robbery victims catch thief at ATM
ALEXANDRA – Suspected robber allegedly wearing victims' items is arrested while withdrawing money at an ATM.
A suspect was remanded in custody and will reappear in Alexandra Magistrates’ Court soon on aggravated robbery charges involving three victims.
The incident, which happened after midnight on 6 December last year, involved other suspects who are still at large.
A man and two women were at a busy tavern on 15th Avenue in Alex. The man and one female decided to take the two women’s bags to their car parked on 14th Avenue, while the other woman remained in the tavern.
While at the car, two suspects approached the victims, allegedly with one pointing a firearm and the other wielding a knife, and demanded the bags. When the victims resisted, the suspects allegedly grabbed the bags and threatened to stab the female.
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The bags contained various personal items including banks cards, driver’s licenses, wrist watches, cellphone chargers, bangles and an unspecified amount of cash.
The male victim called the woman’s friend in the tavern, and soon afterwards she received SMS messages informing her of two withdrawals from her bank account from a garage on Vincent Tshabalala Road.
The victims rushed to the garage where one of them stood behind a suspect at the ATM making withdrawals. She observed bank cards, driver’s licences and other items she recognised as theirs, placed on the ATM. The victim screamed and alerted the garage attendants to the suspect, prompting them to automatically lock the exit door, but only after two of his accomplices had bolted out.
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The suspect then allegedly threatened and insulted the victim and removed the overall he was wearing, seemingly to try and conceal his identity. This exposed the bangles and other stolen items he was already was wearing.
Alex police officers arrived and arrested the suspect, who was then identified as a local taxi driver.
A total of R550 and some of the stolen items were recovered.
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