Business bandits berserk in Bethal Road
Roads don’t hold any malice of their own; but in the week that has past, businesses situated along the R544 have been hard-hit by criminal activity.
The old Bethal Road, or the R544 as it is known to most, is a 140km long Regional Route connecting Bethal with eMalahleni.
It ends north of Thembisile in Mpumalanga.
Roads don’t hold any malice of their own; but in the week that has past, businesses situated along the R544 have been hard-hit by criminal activity.
On May 21, an opencast mining service company in Naauwpoort along the R544 was robbed by five men.
At approximately 01:00, the security guard on duty was busy patrolling the business’s premises when he was approached by five strange men.
One of the five men immediately whipped out a pistol and demanded that the security guard lay down on the ground.
The robbers used the security guard’s shoe laces to tie him up.
The man with a pistol stayed behind to keep a watchful eye on the hog-tied security guard, while his four comrades were busy rummaging through the premises.
After what felt like ages, but couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes, the four other robbers returned.
The five robbers then proceeded to untie the security guard and parade him along the business’s boundary line, before dragging him into the bushes, tying him up again and leaving him lying there.
Eventually the security guard was able to wriggle himself free; after which he immediately sought help from a fellow security guard.
The police were called, and upon arriving at the scene noted that four wheels – along with their rims – had been stolen.
The damage is estimated to be approximately R80 000.
No arrests have been made in regard to this crime, and the public are urged to contact Witbank SAPS on 013 655 5052 should they have any information pertaining to the stolen tyres or rims.
On May 25, a liquor store out on the R544 near Duvha Park was robbed.
At approximately 18:30, the cashier on duty was busy checking out a customer’s 750ml Heineken, when suddenly her eye was drawn to a strange man who had suddenly appeared on the other side of the counter top.
She hardly had any time to react before the armed man whipped out a revolver.
She dropped the beer she was ringing up, leaving a million shattered pieces of glass on the floor, and tried to run into the back of the shop.
The robber caught up with her and demanded, in perfect Zulu, that she give him money.
She lead him towards the drop safe, but explained to him that she could not open it.
The man, visibly upset, lead her back into the front of the store where the cashier came across one of her colleagues – who the robber then threatened with a firearm and instructed to open the till.
The colleague complied.
All of this occurred while three other men were also inside of the store, busy ransacking the stock.
The four men, in total, took cigarettes, alcohol and cash – stealing approximately R20 000 worth of assets.
No arrests have been made in regard to this crime, and the public are urged to contact Witbank SAPS on 013 655 5052 should they have any information pertaining to the liquor store robbery.
