On Tuesday, many potential shoppers had to turn back home after the Pick n Pay Centre in Ada Street in Carletonville was closed for several hours due to a robbery.
According to Carletonville police’s communication officer, WO Peter Masooa, the manager of Pick n Pay was preparing for the day’s sales in his office when he suddenly heard a knock on his window at about 07:00. He got up and went out to check who was looking for him.
Almost immediately, he felt somepushing what felt like a firearm into his back.
The robber holding the gun was masked and wore gloves.
“Go to the safe and open it,” the thug instructed.
The manager had no choice but to comply and the robber went into the safe with him. He and other employees were forced to let two accomplices in.
The thieves took the money, including cash for Sassa payouts, cigarettes and cell phones before fleeing with their loot, worth over R500,000.
The police’s trio task team is investigating the case.
In another, somewhat uncon- ventional case in the past week, the robbers did not even spare a dentist or her patient in the chair.
Masooa says the incident hap- pened in the dental rooms in Annan Road, Carletonville, on Wednesday, 29 September.
The receptionist was at her post when two unknown men walked in at about 14:10. They first pretended to be prospective patients and asked how much it would cost to extract a tooth and how much a gold tooth would cost.
She gave them the prices and they left but returned a short while later. One of them pulled out a firearm and they forced the receptionist to hand over her cell phone and money before continuing to where the dentist was busy with a patient.
The thugs also robbed the patient of their money and cell phone before storming out.
In yet another unusual case, three friends were traumatised when they were attacked near Rooipoort Combined Farm School on Saturday.
As they were driving back to Carletonville from the Goudvlakte area at around 21:00, they saw a black Volkswagen Polo parked near the entrance to the school opposite Wonderfonteinspruit.
The residents, wanting to help, stopped and asked the occupants whether they needed assistance. Suddenly, however, someone in the Polo fired three shots.
The Good Samaritans, fearing for their lives, fled to their vehicle. It was only when they had already pulled away that they realised their friend was not with them.
They quickly went back and found him on the side of the road. He had been hit by two bullets. They immediately raced to Carletonville Hospital with him, where he was treated before being transferred to Leratong Hospital.
The police are investigating a case of attempted murder following the incident.
