Cigarette robbers fail to outrun law in Cape Town CBD

Brazen robbers, in possession of cigarettes and cash worth tens of thousands, were arrested after a thwarted getaway in the Cape Town city centre on Thursday.

According to the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), the robbers had held up a convenience store.

“The robbery happened in broad daylight at Friend’s Café, on the corner of Long and Castle streets, when three men stormed into the store and held up the shopkeeper at knifepoint,” said CCID spokesperson Sharon Sorour-Morris.

The three fled on foot, carrying three bags packed with cartons of cigarettes, two cellphones, money and a watch.

The CCID, in a statement, said its public safety officers were alerted to the incident and gave chase. Two of the three men were caught and all the stolen goods recovered.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed that a case of business robbery was being investigated.

“The local security acted swiftly and apprehended two suspects, aged 25 and 26, and recovered the robbed [sic] property. Once they are charged, the suspects will appear in court.”

Mo Hendricks, CCID manager of safety and security, said crime across all categories in the CBD had decreased since the national lockdown was enforced on 26 March.

According to its recent statistics, crime in the city centre dropped by 76%, with only 35 crimes recorded from 27 March to 15 April, compared with 151 crime incidents during the same period last year.

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