Criminals exploit Indian residents’ vulnerability

It seems that the Indian community’s vulnerability during the current Ramadan celebrations is being exploited by criminals with a high profile Indian businessman allegedly being robbed on Friday morning, the second incident of its nature in eight days.
Police couldn’t provide any information on the latest incident in which the businessman was allegedly robbed, hijacked and left next to the Percy Fyfe road by armed suspects less than a week after a well-known medical practitioner escaped with his life after being hijacked by eight robbers impersonating cops at Ivydale. The eight suspects demanded cash and drove off with the doctor to a field where he was beaten and left behind.
“The Indian community prays until late evening as part of the Ramadan celebrations. This has put a target on our backs as residents have to travel late at night making us easy targets,” resident Cassim Bham said. He also referred to a break-in at the Hindu temple as well as a restaurant in Nirvana recently.
He said the information he received on the recent armed robbery was that the Indian businessman was followed home and apparently robbed of cash, bank cards and cell phones after which he was allegedly dropped next to the Percy Fyfe road. Bham also recalled a incident in Mokopane recently where the same modus operandi was used. According to unconfirmed information there was a similar incident recently at Fauna Park as well.
The robbery of the businessman could not be confirmed by Polokwane Police. Westenburg Police Spokesperson Naphuri Segobola could not confirm the break-ins but referred to another incident of armed robbery, this time on the R101 just outside Polokwane, where three armed robbers targeted ‘n man whose truck broke down last Thursday evening. “The truck broke down and while the driver was still attending to the problem he saw three men approaching. He tried to hide under the truck but the three suspects, armed with firearms, pulled him from under the vehicle. He was robbed of his cell phone, a tablet and cash,” Segobola said.

Story: RC Myburgh
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