Two robberies involving two organised groups of suspects were reported last week. Both the robberies involved nine to 12 suspects.
Mr Tshepo Mogale and his four colleagues were robbed in Plumer Street on May 10, around 22:00, after using one of the ATM machines at a shopping centre.
He said that his colleagues started running away when they saw the nine or ten suspects who caught up with them.
He stated that they took his friends’ money, jackets and sneakers they were wearing.
“They just took the little money I had with me, my bank card and I gave them the wrong pin to my bank card. One of them hit me on my left eye with a firearm. I am really hurt and that is why I opened the case,” Mogale explained.
He added that he had to go to the doctor to examine his eye.
Earlier that day, in another case a local wholesaler was targeted by 12 males with firearms who allegedly gained entrance into the shop through the roof.
The suspects allegedly took the two men who were on duty at the wholesaler to the back of the shop and tied them with shoelaces. The alarm went off and they managed to take the two men’s cell phones only.
Both the robbery cases were opened at Witbank Police Station.
Witbank SAPS Communications Officer, Capt Eddie Hall said that such crime offenders who operate in groups are organised syndicates who plan to commit the crimes.
“Luckily, we have the SAPS Hawks who investigate organised crime,” he said.
Capt Hall verified that such groups are dangerous because of the possibility that they are carrying more firearms.
He gave some advice that residents and business owners should put up security measures to avoid robberies.
He added: “If faced with an organised group robbery, keep calm, obey to them and try to take a good look at one of the suspects so that you can be able to identify and give a clear description of them to the police. It will help us to catch the other members of the syndicate.”
