Robbery leaves 25-year-old shaken but grateful to be alive
Bryan Watkins was robbed at knife-point during an early-morning attack by two men who initially asked him for cigarettes.
What started as an ordinary morning quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal for 25-year-old Bryan Watkins, who was attacked and robbed in the early hours of Monday morning (May 18).
Watkins had been dropped off by his transport in Queen Street at around 05:20, following what he described as his normal daily routine. Since Roots Butchery (his place of employment) was not yet open, he sat down nearby to connect to the WiFi while passing the time.
“I do this all the time,” Watkins explained.
But within seconds, the calm morning took a dangerous turn.
“Do you smoke?”
According to Watkins, two men approached him while he was sitting alone. The pair appeared friendly at first and casually asked him whether he smoked.
Watkins responded ‘yes’ and stood up to offer them cigarettes. However, as he reached for the packet, one of the men allegedly grabbed him from behind.
“I tried to fight them,” Watkins recalled.
The situation quickly escalated when one of the suspects pulled out a knife.
“That’s when I realised it was not worth the fight”
Facing an armed attacker, Watkins said that fear immediately took over. “That’s when I realised it was not worth the fight and I let go,” he said.
The suspects allegedly stole his cellphone, a packet of cigarettes and R200 in cash before fleeing the scene.
Despite the frightening encounter, Watkins escaped without physical injuries.
Shaken but thankful
Although deeply shaken by the experience, Watkins said he considers himself fortunate to have survived unharmed. “I’m lucky and grateful that I’m alive,” he said.
He added that he hopes sharing his story will create awareness and prevent someone else from becoming a victim.
Warning to the community
One detail that stood out to Watkins was that the suspects did not appear suspicious at all. “I did not see it coming because they were well dressed,” he explained.
The incident serves as a reminder that danger can appear unexpectedly, even during familiar routines and in seemingly ordinary situations.
While Watkins says he is still a bit shaken, he believes he will recover from the traumatic experience.
@ladysmith.gazette2 25 year old robbed while waiting for his place of employment to open #Ladysmithgazette #fyp #robbery
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