Released criminals could be targeting garages
BRYANSTON - Douglasdale police are on high alert after the fatal shooting of the manager of an Engen garage in Bryanston during an armed robbery on 22 July.
UPDATE, 23 July, 2pm:
Warrant Officer Balan Muthan, head of communications for the Douglasdale Police Station said garage robberies have increased of late.
He has a theory that it may be because criminals who had previously targeted garages and were sent to prison, have now served their time and are going back to their old ways.
Muthan said since the robbery the Douglasdale police have warned all garages in the Douglasdale policing area to be extra cautious and to also keep less than R1 000 in their tills at any given time.
UPDATE: 22 July, 4pm:
New details have emerged about the death of a man during an armed robbery in Bryanston on the morning of 22 July.
The victim (42) was shot at 10am near a construction site on Main Road by two men, who robbed him of cash and a bag with his personal belongings then fled the scene in a silver Toyota Yaris.
A friend of the victim, who wanted to remain anonymous, confirmed that the victim worked at the Engen garage on the corner of Main Road and William Nicol Drive. However, the victim’s friend said that he was actually the manager of the garage and contrary to conflicting reports, the victim was not carrying a large sum of money to bank on behalf of the garage but was rather walking to Nicolway shopping centre to get change when he was approached by the two suspects. The victim’s friend is the owner of another Engen garage further down Main Road, and said that the staff of both garages are distraught because the victim was “like a father to them”.
“He was a wonderful guy,” the victim’s friend said. “The staff of the garages are broken and in tears.”
22 July, 1.30pm:
According to Provincial police spokesperson, Captain Augustinah Phelebe, the robbery took place at 10am. The victim was an employee of the garage and was on his way to bank money on behalf of the garage.
He was approached by two suspects while on his way to bank the money at Nicolway Mall. The suspects shot the man and fled the scene with the cash. The suspects allegedly fled the scene in a Toyota Yaris.
Captain Phelebe said the victim died on the scene after sustaining multiple gunshots to his upper body.
A student of Greenwich College, which is located across the road from the garage, who wanted to remain anonymous, said that he got a shock when he heard three loud gunshots from across the road on the morning of 22 July.
When we will get rid of this scourge of crime?
Honestly I work just down the road from the Engen on Main street Bryanston and this incident happened on Cnr William Nicol and Bruton Drive outside Nicol main Office Park where the Gentleman who owns the Engen was shot 3 times and had died as the two men in hoodies took off where as the one shot himself in the leg running to the get away vehicle standing on William Nicol opposite Nicol Way shopping centre. This is from a source at my company who’s window faced the whole incident.
What I don’t understand is why should people kill people, instate of taking what they wanted n leave. I don’t see a need to kill when you got what you wanted, and save a life.
dey shud hv taken dat money n leave hm
Can somebody see that this information regarding the 1 robber shooting himself in leg gets to police. Will help to track robbers as he would need medical care / hospital. I met Gerhard 2 weeks ago. What a nice man. Now he is dead & his family devastated. So disgusted with this government.
WHY DE GANGSTERS/ROBBERS KILL,WJY DEY DNT TAKE WAT DEY NID N LEAVE PPL TO LIVE.
IM SO SAD,FED UP ABT RSA,WALK WTH FEAR COS U NEVA KNW.
This is a dear friend of our family. My mother befriended Mr G (as we used to call him) when she moved here 4 years ago. She worked across the garage at that FNB. He looked after he like a brother would take care of his little sister. He was such a great guy. He cared so much. We know each staff member by name because he spoke about each one as if this was his family. I also don’t understand what the meaning of this was and neither what the intension was for a little bit money. If you want something that is not yours GET A JOB and leave innocent people alone!!! Mr G will be missed everyday. And to those that know what they have done to such a great human being you thought you took away something but you forgot one thing a child of God is never alone never scared and lives for ever. So basically the only thing that will be missed is your freedom because you will be cached and will spend your deserved time in jail. My prayers go out to each individual who has been affected by this.