Five robbers at large following Menlyn Maine robbery

Police are searching for five robbers who allegedly robbed a designer bag store in Menlyn Maine on Wednesday morning.

“At around 10:48 a group of six men entered the Luxity shop in Menlyn Maine,” said police spokesperson Warrant Officer Webster Scheepers.

“Two of the men were armed with pistols and instructed employees to keep quiet and to move to the back of the store.

“The suspects locked the employees inside a room and ransacked the store.

“They heard a gunshot when the suspects fled the store. They alerted security officers of the robbery after they managed to free themselves.”

An armed response security vehicle intercepted the fleeing group at one of the shopping centre’s entrances.

Scheepers said the robbers began shooting at the security officers, who then retaliated by shooting back.

Police, with the assistance of private security Fidelity ADT, arrested one armed robber.

An unlicenced firearm was also recovered.

“A manhunt was launched for the five suspects who managed to escape with stolen items in a white Volkswagen Polo hatchback,” Scheepers said.

According to Fidelity ADT’s Leon Muller, some of the display cases at the store were shattered by the robbers and an undisclosed amount of merchandise was taken.

Muller said a nearby shop owner suspected there was be a problem and pressed their panic button, alerting the centre supervisor.

“A Fidelity security officer based at the centre chased them on foot. The suspects ran towards Constellation Road,” he said.

“The suspects ran towards Aramist Road where their White VW Polo was parked on the casino side.”

“Five of the suspects jumped into the vehicle and made a U-turn in Aramist. They proceeded into January Masilela and sped away.”

Muller said the registration number of the getaway vehicle was recorded and placed on the Fidelity licence plate recognition platform for monitoring.

The investigation would continue and Fidelity would continue to work closely with the police to follow up further leads.

“We are currently reviewing all CCTV footage to check how the suspects first entered the centre. It appeared they did not all enter together and pretended to be window shoppers,” Muller said.

An eyewitness, who works at the shopping centre, told Rekord how she saw a man carrying what looked like a brown bag, shooting at a Fidelity security officer as he tried to flee.

Velicia Townsend said she saw the shootout happen as she watched from a building window.

“When I heard the first gunshot, I went to the window,” she said.

“There was a man dressed in black clothing who came running from the Capital hotel’s parking side. Suddenly, he started shooting at the guard and the guard shot back.

“It was a shooting match between the two of them. Then the men ran up towards the casino side. As he was running in the middle of the road, he ran out of bullets and couldn’t shoot any further; so he gave up and fell down on his knees.”

A protection specialist, Zack (*not his real name), who happened to be in the area when the incident happened said he took control of civilians in the hotel and the Piazza to keep them safe.

“I wasn’t sure which side the gunshots were coming from,” he said.

“I started telling people to move away from the windows. There were people standing at the entrance of the hotel, so I called them in and told them to take cover.

“I also ran to the courtyard to tell people to move out and get into the nearest restaurant.”

Brooklyn police station commander, Brigadier Kushie Pietersen, commended the police and security officers for their swift response that led to the suspect’s arrest.

No injuries were reported during the incident.

The 46-year-old alleged robber from Molofo North will appear in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on charges of business robbery, possession of an unlicenced firearm and ammunition and for discharging a firearm in a public place.

The Menlyn Maine centre management confirmed the incident, saying a full investigation was underway.

Communities were further urged to play their role by reporting any suspicious persons, vehicles or circumstances to the police immediately by phoning the 10111 emergency-number.

Information with regards to crime can be given to the police anonymously by phoning 08600 10111 or by using the My SAPS app.

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