Brazen armed robbers have been targeting shops belonging to the Shoprite group with three stores targeted within 48 hours.
They include the Checkers at Cape Gate Mall in Brackenfell, K’nect Shoprite in Khayelitsha and Shoprite at Langa Junction.
In the latest robbery on Monday at Checkers, daring boewe allegedly got away with R600 000 and also robbed customers of their cell phones and other valuables.
A source tells the Daily Voice: “It was two black males and they stole R600 000 and got away in a car.”
Checkers confirmed the robbery but would not say how much money was taken: “No customers were however involved. Robbers made their way directly to the store’s cash office before leaving again soon thereafter.”
Police spokesperson Mihlali Majikela confirms: “A case of business robbery has been opened for investigation after four armed suspects entered a store inside a shopping mall at about 12:17 [on Monday] where they forced a personnel member to open both security access control gates.
“Two suspects entered the safe and took an undisclosed amount of cash, thereafter all four suspects fled the scene on foot.
“No shots were fired and no injuries were reported during this incident. No arrests have been made as yet.”
LATEST: Cape Gate was hit on Tuesday. Picture supplied
On Sunday afternoon, K’nect Shoprite, situated at Shoprite Park in Site C, Khayelitsha, was robbed of R11 500 by six armed men.
They demanded cellphones but were stumped when they couldn’t break the safe.
A staffer tells the Daily Voice the store was nearly empty when the six men entered the shop screaming for everyone to put their hands up.
The skelms got away with cash and no injuries were reported.
On Sunday, the Shoprite store in Langa Junction was also robbed when boewe held up one worker, the store manager and tied up a security guard.
The seven skelms were apparently dressed in security uniforms and were after Sassa money, an official said.
The robbery happened before 6am and the manager was beaten up and forced to open a safe, which did not contain the Sassa cash.
The witness says the skelms got away with between R10 000 and R15 000 and cartons of cigarettes.
Shoprite Group confirmed Sunday’s incident and says no serious injuries were sustained.
With regards to the Langa Junction incident, it said “time delay locks on
cellphone safes prevented access to these vaults and limited stock losses during the robbery”.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut said investigations have been launched but no arrests have been made as yet.