Supermarket guards fight back
2010-04-24 08:32
Chris Ndaliso, The Witness
Pietermaritzburg - A botched armed robbery has left an armed suspect with three bullet wounds and a 29-year-old security guard slightly injured.Four men, two armed with guns, entered People’s Supermarket in Hoosen Haffejee Street and held the security guard at the door at gunpoint on Thursday afternoon.Owner Irfaan Dawood said on Friday he was on the phone when he saw two of the men manhandling the guard, and he rushed to intervene.“I dropped the phone and as I was approaching the entrance, one man pointed a gun at me and forced me to lie down. The other two were wrestling my guard for his firearm, kicking him in the mouth in the process.'People were scattered all over'“A second gunman pinned my father down on the floor and kicked him in the ribs. Gunshots rang out inside the shop after that.“People were scattered all over the place running for cover,” said Dawood.One gunman let go of Dawood’s father and shot at the guard, who wouldn’t let go of his firearm without a fight, but later gave it up.A second guard who heard the commotion from the back of the shop came to the front and returned fire, hitting one gunman once in the arm and twice in the upper leg.The robbers then ran away, leaving the guard’s gun behind.This was a second armed robbery at the shop within months.On the first occasion, five men entered the shop pretending to be customers, held the guards at gunpoint and ran away with cash.“Those men used the same modus operandi and they made away with an amount of money,” said Dawood.“After this attack we have beefed up our security because we cannot allow ourselves to be soft targets to criminals.Guards, police commended“My guards were brave and I commend the police for their swift reaction, which led to the arrest of one of the criminals.”According to police statistics, 2 499 cases of business robbery were registered in the province between 2008 and 2009.Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane confirmed the incident.“The wounded suspect was arrested at Hassim Centre in Church Street.He was taken to a local hospital where he is under police guard. Police have recovered a .38 special revolver in his possession,” said Zwane.The suspect will appear in court shortly on charges of armed robbery, attempted robbery and attempted murder.
- The Witness
Read more on: crime pietermaritzburg
Chris Ndaliso, The Witness
Pietermaritzburg - A botched armed robbery has left an armed suspect with three bullet wounds and a 29-year-old security guard slightly injured.Four men, two armed with guns, entered People’s Supermarket in Hoosen Haffejee Street and held the security guard at the door at gunpoint on Thursday afternoon.Owner Irfaan Dawood said on Friday he was on the phone when he saw two of the men manhandling the guard, and he rushed to intervene.“I dropped the phone and as I was approaching the entrance, one man pointed a gun at me and forced me to lie down. The other two were wrestling my guard for his firearm, kicking him in the mouth in the process.'People were scattered all over'“A second gunman pinned my father down on the floor and kicked him in the ribs. Gunshots rang out inside the shop after that.“People were scattered all over the place running for cover,” said Dawood.One gunman let go of Dawood’s father and shot at the guard, who wouldn’t let go of his firearm without a fight, but later gave it up.A second guard who heard the commotion from the back of the shop came to the front and returned fire, hitting one gunman once in the arm and twice in the upper leg.The robbers then ran away, leaving the guard’s gun behind.This was a second armed robbery at the shop within months.On the first occasion, five men entered the shop pretending to be customers, held the guards at gunpoint and ran away with cash.“Those men used the same modus operandi and they made away with an amount of money,” said Dawood.“After this attack we have beefed up our security because we cannot allow ourselves to be soft targets to criminals.Guards, police commended“My guards were brave and I commend the police for their swift reaction, which led to the arrest of one of the criminals.”According to police statistics, 2 499 cases of business robbery were registered in the province between 2008 and 2009.Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane confirmed the incident.“The wounded suspect was arrested at Hassim Centre in Church Street.He was taken to a local hospital where he is under police guard. Police have recovered a .38 special revolver in his possession,” said Zwane.The suspect will appear in court shortly on charges of armed robbery, attempted robbery and attempted murder.
- The Witness
Read more on: crime pietermaritzburg
No comments:
Post a Comment