Parktown FNB robbed of millions

Investigations are under way after the Hawks’ National Bureau of Illegal Firearm Control and Priority Violent Claims received a complaint from FNB Parktown of a business robbery.

Upon their arrival, they found that two bank vaults had been broken into, the Rosebank Killarney Gazette reported.

“Four suspects gained entry to the bank by drilling [through] the bank wall. They made off with R1.7 million in cash and valuables,” explained spokesperson for the Hawks Captain Ndivuho Molamu.

Molamu said 30 safety deposit boxes were emptied in the process. The incident took place on New Year’s Eve.

This is not the first time FNB has been hit. In December, its Randburg branch faced the same type of robbery where over 250 safety deposit boxes were taken.

“We can’t overlook the fact that the two incidents maybe linked; however, we will be investigating each case on merit and individually. Camera footage from the Parktown robbery will be provided by the bank and investigators will act upon those, so the perpetrators can be brought to book,” said Molamu.

FNB’s CEO, Lee-Anne van Zyl, said FNB could confirm that a burglary incident occurred at its Parktown branch on the corner of St Andrew’s and St David’s Place.

“We further confirm that impacted FNB customers will be notified individually via the contact details supplied to the bank, once the relevant law enforcement authorities have completed their preliminary investigation,” added Van Zyl.

“FNB assures its customers that it is giving the matter utmost priority and will leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of this criminal act.”

Van Zyl said they were deploying additional resources to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement authorities on the investigation.

Due to the police investigation currently under way, she was unable to provide further details on the issue.

FNB’s Parktown branch remains closed until further notice.

No arrests have been made yet in both incidents. However, Molamu said the external and internal forensics would be working hand in glove to investigate the incidents.

– Caxton News Service

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