SEBOKENG – According to the Entrepreneur, George Mollo, about eight heavily armed men ambushed his shop in the early hours of the morning, bombing locks to the store in order to access an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM).
After gaining access, the mob bombed the ATM, wracking the shop’s ceiling, doors and windows down.
As a show of force by the armed crooks, random shooting took place with high calibre machines to scare away awakened neighbors.
Mollo said moments after the bombing, he received several calls from scared neighbors who reported the brazen business robbery.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster at the bombed establishments on the day of the incident, Mollo said he was woken in the wee hours by a flood of calls.
“I was called around past 01:40 a.m. by residents who stay near the shop telling me there was a problem. While I was coming to the shop, I contacted Sebokeng SAPS and we got to the shop at the same time,” he said.
Mollo said the explosion during the ATM bombing severely damage a lot of items at the store.
“Windows, doors, counter, furniture, ceiling and lighting were damaged during the attack. The damages could be estimated at about 30 thousand to fix,” he said.
The owner of KB and LSG Projects and Kutlwano Café said local businesses are targeted by thugs.
“We are under heavy attack and as business people we must come together with the community and try to curb this growing problem. If we can come together, we can win this battle. The crime that’s affecting us, it’s from within us. Whoever comes here, comes with information that they acquired from people around our kasis,” he said.
Mollo said the attacks on businesses in the region are set to take the Vaal back to the desert days.
“If we don’t fight these crimes, we are definitely going back to the desert days where we had nothing precious in the region. We try so hard as business people to bring better things done for black by black and we are being hit. We are safe anymore!” he said.
Gauteng Provincial Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said cops are on a manhunt for an unknown number of suspects following the bombing following a case of ATM bombing.
“Police are searching for suspects after an ATM was bombed in Sebokeng Zone 13 in the early hours of Friday, 09 December 2022. We are appealing to anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or assist in the apprehension of suspects to please call the nearest police station or Crime Stop at 08600 10111,” he said.
