BOPHELONG – A brazen armed robbery at a popular Bophelong tavern has left the owner and staffers in shock.
This comes after four gunmen stormed Satch’s Place in Ext 16 on Sunday.
Caught on camera, the suspects can be seen forcing their way into the establishment shortly after it closed for the night.
The horrifying sequence of events saw two helpless staff members, a security guard and a cashier, taken hostage.
As two of the four robbers pressed down the duo [staff] on the ground with their feet, two others looted money from the till stealing an estimated R5 000.
One of the suspects brutally struck the cashier on the head with a rubber hammer multiple times while he was lying defenceless on the tavern’s wet floor.
Still shaken by the robbery, the Manager at the hangout, Matshidiso Moses described the gruesome act as she watched from CCTV footage.
“Earlier that evening there was a fight at the tavern while I was there. I left moments after stopping it. When I was home, I decided to investigate the matter through CCTV footage. That’s when I saw the men hiding outside the gate.”
According to Moses she called the employees at the premises, alerting them of the suspicious activity. “When the cashier went out to observe, the robbers were already trying to force entry. They overpowered them [our employees] and gained access to the pub,” she said.
Moses rushed to the tavern and found the suspects gone.
“We are devastated by the incident and hope justice can be served. We have made means to get our staffer medical assistance,” she said.
Vanderbijlpark police spokesperson Sergeant Sabelo Sigcu said a case of business robbery was opened and no suspects have been arrested yet.
