A spate of armed robberies last week has residents convinced a crime syndicate is on the loose.
At least three businesses were robbed at gunpoint of thousands of Rand, including the Newcastle Golf Club.
Club president, Leon Pienaar said the ABSA Golf Day was hosted last Thursday evening, with the last customers at the bar departing at about 8pm, leaving the bartender alone.
Shortly after 9pm, four men entered the bar area, one wielding a handgun.
The armed robbers held up the bartender and emptied the till of all the day’s takings, before fleeing the building ahead of on-site security, who attempted to intervene.
Mr Pienaar said fortunately, the bartender was not hurt in the robbery.
“We had a robbery at the club many years ago, but this is the first in almost three years.”
Mr Pienaar said the criminals had obviously waited for the clubhouse to be deserted before striking, leaving the bartender with no time to activate security measures already in place.
In addition, the area surrounding the club is dark and somewhat isolated.
At about 6pm the same day, a Murchison Street business was stormed by a group of men also armed with a single handgun, described by the shop owner as quick and having done their homework.
The armed robbers ordered staff and two shoppers to lie down, then tied them up.
“They stole between R10 000 and R15 000 from the shop, and also went through our pockets to find wallets.”
No one was hurt by the robbers, the owner added.
In a possibly related case, a business on Kirkland Street was robbed of cash, jewellery and even CCTV footage by armed robbers earlier the same week, although the owner was assaulted with a handgun.
He was tied up and threatened with a knife, before the robbers gagged him and fled.
It was reported a robbery of similar circumstances to the first two occurred at a local accommodation establishment the same evening, although staff denied this was the case.
On local crime groups, the idea of a syndicate operating in the area was mentioned.
However, at the time of going to print, police officials could not be reached for comment on this possibility, and how a crime syndicate will be countered by members of the SAPS.
