Sandiso Phaliso
THERE have been four cash-in-transit heists in five days at three different city malls this week, with the latest incident being yesterday’s heist at Promenade Mall in Mitchells Plain, police have confirmed.
On Sunday, at Somerset Mall in Somerset West, a security van transporting cash to the mall was robbed, but no cash was taken. And in a separate incident at Waterstone Village Centre on the same day and in the same area, a shootout between police and suspects saw an attempted heist foiled.
Another heist in Kenilworth Centre, also on Sunday, again resulted in no money being lost.
During the heist at the Promenade Mall yesterday, security guards retaliated by firing gunshots at the suspects, wounding one of them in the leg. The suspects were able to get away after they robbed the guards of an undisclosed amount of cash.
A witness, who did not want to be identified but whose name is known to the Cape Times, said three of the five men approached the two security guards, grabbed the money boxes and fled in their getaway car. He said two other suspects were waiting in the vehicle.
Promenade Mall spokesperson Nomzamo Radebe said no tenants or customers were harmed during the incident.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said the suspects fled the scene in a white Toyota Corolla and two firearms belonging to the security guards. She said no arrests had yet been made.