KWAZULU-Natal Police confirmed a case of armed robbery was opened after a building contractor was robbed of R25 000 on Friday in the Hyper-by-the-Sea parking lot. The money was to be used to pay staff wages and according to police he was confronted by the armed suspects in the parking lot of the busy complex.
Captain Nqobile Gwala, provincial police spokesperson said: “The complainant withdrew an undisclosed amount of cash at La Lucia and proceeded to meet his staff. On arrival at Hyper he was approached by unknown men who produced firearms and robbed him before fleeing the scene in their getaway vehicle. A case of armed robbery was opened at Durban North Police Station,” Gwala said.
Haden Searles, chairman of the Durban North/Umhlanga CPF urged business owners to, where possible, pay staff by an electronic fund transfer (EFT).
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“If that is not possible perhaps look at employing the services of security company to be around during the payout. As an added precaution, business owners could also use the police station to do the payment,” he said.
Earlier this year the SA Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) warned that criminals were using spotters to target consumers and rob them of their cash.
Kalyani Pillay, CEO of centre, said the modus operandi using a spotter is quite prevalent.
“Spotters are individuals who enter the bank purporting to be clients, and will even queue to give the impression that they are bank clients. Their sole purpose is to identify victims who have made a cash withdrawal. They communicate the victims’ description to accomplices who wait outside the bank. These accomplices then follow the victim and rob them of their cash,” Pillay said.
Read also: Man robbed, R30 000 outside Durban North ATM
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