The City of Gold resembled a gangster’s paradise this week when brazen criminals in a number of unrelated incidents shot a man in cold blood, stole thousands of rand, robbed a sportswear outlet and bombed money vans.
Earlier in the week, the Randburg Sun reported on an armed robbery which occurred at a Totalsports outlet at the Cresta Shopping Centre.
An unknown number of suspects escaped with a number of cell phones, however, swift action from mall security resulted in three of the suspects being apprehended outside the mall.
According to the Gauteng police spokesperson, Captain Mavela Masondo, while security officers were hot on the heels of the armed robbers, a shootout ensued leaving one suspect with a gunshot wound to the leg.
Scary at #Cresta today with robbery, was in there when the perps ran past the store I was in with my daughter, with their guns.
— Jana Tait (@taitjana) May 15, 2018
READ ORIGINAL STORY: Police arrest suspects following a 2nd armed robbery at Cresta in 2 months
While shoppers and Totalsports staff members were finding means and ways to cope following the traumatic ordeal, on that very afternoon, a group of unknown men robbed a bakkie in broad daylight on Barry Hertzog Avenue, Emmarentia in full view of motorists.
WATCH VIDEO:
https://twitter.com/TrafficSA/status/996405161751990272
Sergeant Bongi Mdletshe of the Parkview Police Station said the victim, an owner of a cell phone shop in the Joburg CBD, was followed by four suspects who robbed him at gunpoint.
It was further alleged that prior to robbing the victim, the suspects had been on a robbing spree, where an undisclosed amount of money was stolen from a number of cell phone shops. No arrests have been made.
On the evening of 16 May, motorists making their way home found themselves dead in their tracks when a group of unknown men blew up a cash-in-transit van between CR Swart Drive and Corlett Avenue on Ontdekkers Road.
Cash in transit heist at cnr corlett and ontdekkers road in Roodepoort pic.twitter.com/MOX9WxjwQk
— soul ink (@OzlingG) May 15, 2018
READ ROODEPORT RECORD’S FULL STORY: CIT heist in photos and video
Police have urged residents to assist with information that will lead to the suspect’s arrest.
Speaking to Metro FM in an interview, Anneliese Burgess, Author of the book, Heist!: South Africa’s Cash-In-Transit Epidemic Uncovered, said cash-in-transit heists were getting out of control.
Burgess said, research conducted before publishing her book which took an in-depth look at ten of South Africa’s fearless heists revealed that, out of ten, only three heists were done without police assistance.
This follows unconfirmed reports, which claim that one of the seven suspects arrested for the dramatic Boksburg heist, which saw two vehicles bombed on Atlas Road yesterday, was a police officer.
According to the Kempton Express, about ten suspects in four vehicles approached the armoured trucks and opened fire. They managed to get away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
A police chase ensued and five suspects were arrested at the George Goch Hostel in Jeppestown.
READ FULL STORY: WATCH: New video footage shows Atlas Road heist taking place
ALSO READ:
HEIST UPDATE: Police believe they made a breakthrough (new video)
More suspects arrested in Boksburg heist
Furthermore, a man was shot dead and two others injured at the corner of William Nicol and Sandton drives while the Boksburg drama was unfolding.
According to the Sandton Chronicle, “When the victims’ car approached the robots, the suspect started shooting at the car with an AK-47 and then jumped on his motorcycle and drove off.”
READ: #WilliamNicolShooting: One victim killed and two rushed to hospital
Police are investigating the matter. No arrests have been made.
