A spate of armed robberies has struck eMalahleni with eight incidents reported.
The wave of robberies started on July 2 when two shops in the OK Centre in the Central Business District (CBD) had their windows broken and merchandise stolen in the early hours of the morning.
Security guards reported that they were patrolling the shopping centre when they were approached by three men wearing balaclavas.
The men took the security guards to their office and took all their cell phones.
The security guards were told not to look up and after hearing the door closed, they waited until they could not hear any more sounds.
When it sounded that the suspects are not around anymore, they checked the centre and found a clothing retail store and a shoe shop robbed of computers, clothes and shoes.
Mr James Nthako from the security company said they immediately put the security guards through a polygraph test and is happy to say that all three passed the test.
“The guards are traumatized, but not harmed,” Nthako said.
Thursday, July 4 saw the Engen Garage in Klarinet fall victim to two armed men holding a petrol attendant and a security guard at gun point at around 16:45.
They told the cashier, Ms Anna Selala to empty the cash register.
One of the robbers helped himself to cigarettes.
“It was frightening. I just did what they told me to do. I think they had a get-away vehicle because as they ran away, a car came speeding towards them and they jumped in. A taxi-driver in the vicinity tried to follow them, but soon lost track of the car,” Selala said.
Just over an hour later Super Jumbo Meat in the central business district was robbed.
According to Mr Jan Greyling he was helping a customer at 18:05 when two thugs came into the butchery yielding a gun.
“One of the men told me to go to till three. I had to open it and he took all the cash out. He then told me to go to till seven and told me to do the same.”
According to Greyling the thugs ran away and disappeared in the crowds.
Greyling said security has been beefed up at the butchery and added that the safety of their clients is their first priority.
The clock did not even do a full round when two businesses in Tasbet Park were also robbed.
First on the robbers’ list was Spar and moments after that Meat Discounters.
Ms Angelina Sibeko said armed men stormed in and demanded cash.
“Before they robbed us, they had already robbed Spar of cigarettes and cash,” she said.
Mr Gordon Henning said you can not distinguish between a robber and a client wanting to do a deal.
His business, Bosnia Traders on the old Middelburg Road suffered a huge loss when two vehicles were stolen and two tampered with on his premises.
“My security guard, Nkoni Badza was abducted and left at the other side of the Hertzog Berg after robbers visited him on July 5 at 16:30. John saw three armed men in the shop and pressed the panic button. The men assaulted him, loaded him in a vehicle and dropped him off in the early hours of the morning,” Henning said.
As the sun came up Badza was found by a man passing by.
The man accompanied him to Verena Police Station.
The robbers took a Colt and a Hilux bakkie.
They also damaged two other bakkies when they tried to steal them too.
“The one bakkie’s steering lock, wires and prop shaft is in my office as I am busy fixing it. The thieves could not get that bakkie started. The other bakkie’s battery was flat. Although they could not start the bakkie, they still managed to steal the battery. Apart from all that damage, some tyres and rims were also stolen,” Henning said.
Badza was traumatised, but back at work.
Two more businesses became statistics on July 6.
They are both located in Klipfontein and they were both robbed at 19:30.
Mr Alec Abassa from Rise and Sun in Klipfontein said men came in and out of the shop as they were about to close.
He said suddenly four men armed with two guns came in and demanded money.
“They even pointed a gun at one of our customers. They took his bakkie’s keys. From the shop they helped themselves to cash, cigarettes and cell phones.”
The second business that fell prey was a horse racing and sports betting outlet, Hollywood Bets.
According to a police report two patrons wanted to leave the tattersalls in Klipfontein when two armed men wiggled their way inside before the security gate could close.
The men let their cohorts in.
They searched the customers and the staff and made off with cash and cell phones.
Several attempts to get hold of the owner were fruitless as no one has his contact details.
Police spokesperson, Capt Eddie Hall said SAPS is concerned at the number of business robberies occurring in their policing precinct.
“We are working on crime initiatives and urge businesses to step up on security and work closely with crime prevention initiatives in their areas,” Capt Hall said.
