A business robbery is being investigated after staff members and tourists staying at a Pomona guest house were held up on Thursday evening.
Kempton police spokesperson, Capt Jethro Mtshali, confirmed that Safari Club SA, an upmarket lodge hotel, was robbed by armed men who pretended they were viewing the guest house.
Anthony Colia, owner of the lodge, said the men were driving either a Hyundai i10 or i20 and pretended to be checking in at the bed and breakfast establishment. They entered the premises at about 6.25pm.
The security guard said the driver of the car, which had tinted windows, told him one of them needed to check in at the lodge.
“Two other men, who were walking, suddenly came into the premises and pulled me to the side. They took my gate remote and demanded I showed them how it worked. They also took my cell phone. There were about three or four of them,” Moyo said.
Two of the men went around the lodge, forcing guests and staff members into the lounge area.
The receptionist said she was coming from the kitchen going towards the reception area when she saw the manager being pushed around by someone.
“At first I thought they were playing but then I noticed the guy was holding a gun. I stepped back a little. He saw me and took us to everyone else and made us lie on the floor,” the receptionist explained.
The manager was ordered to show the men the safe, which he did.
“All the safes were cleaned out. They stole my customers’ wallets, cell phones, credit cards, cameras, tablets, everything. One of the guests staying at the lodge had her ring worth about R200 000 taken as well,” Colia said.
“Luckily, one of my staff members managed to slip away into the bushes without being seen and was able to call me.”
Colia said the men acted very quickly and were out of there in less than half an hour.
Security, police and ER24 arrived on the scene shortly afterwards.
Koerie Britz, a community chaplain and police reservist for the Tembisa Cluster, was also at the scene to offer trauma and counselling to the victims.
“Although no one was physically injured, the victims did suffer emotional trauma. An American woman said the robbers used a lot of strong language. The paramedics treated the patients for shock,” Britz said.
The police appeal to anyone with information to contact them on 0860010111 or send an sms to the crime line on 32211. The investigating officer, D/Sgt Jason Bramdaw, can also be contacted on 081-463-6131.
