An armed robbery took place at a popular clothing store at Cosmo Shopping Centre during the afternoon of 25 August.
Honeydew police spokesperson Captain Balan Muthan said that an unknown number of armed suspects drove up to the store in a white vehicle.
“The suspects very quickly entered the store, tying up the security guard and forcing all staff members and customers to the back of the store before robbing it.
Muthan said that the suspects targeted the store’s manager, holding him at gunpoint while forcing him to open the store’s safe.
“We are dealing with professional and intelligent suspects, as they knew exactly who to target, the store’s busy time, they were not violent, and they did not leave a single fingerprint. They did not smash any cabinets to gain their loot, they did everything very carefully.”
Muthan added that the suspects also targeted cell phones and other electronic equipment that was on sale at the store, and stole an estimated R100 000 worth of stock and R3 000 cash.
“Store employees informed us that they recognised one of the suspects from a previous robbery that occurred a few months ago,” he said.
By the time the police responded to the scene, the suspects had got away.
No staff members or customers were injured in the incident. The Honeydew police are appealing to store owners in the Cosmo City area and beyond to be vigilant as these suspects are armed and still at large.
“As the Covid-19 lockdown gets more relaxed, we can expect crimes like these to increase once again, and we appeal for vigilance. If any member of the public has any information about this incident, please do not hesitate to contact us anonymously,” concluded Muthan.
