A man caught withdrawing money from his victims’ accounts and reported in, Robber Caught Redhanded at ATM in Week ending 15 September, was sentenced by the Alex Magistrates’ Court to 15 years imprisonment for robbery with an additional 18 months for theft.
Appearing before Magistrate Renier Boshoff on 13 September, Sizwe Dume (24), a taxi driver who was with two accomplices who are at large, denied the charge, claiming that he had been sent to withdraw the money by some people whose names and addresses he failed to provide.
They robbed a man and two female friends at gunpoint at a tavern at midnight on 6 December. Shortly after, the victims received SMSes of withdrawals from an ATM at a garage.
They rushed there with other friends and alerted the garage security about Dume and an accomplice who were still at the machine. One of the female victims went into the building, stood behind the robbers, saw their bank cards and drivers’ licences and screamed.
The robbers panicked and one of them managed to escape while Dume was apprehended. Police were called and he was arrested. Some of the money, cards and licences were recovered from him.
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