Cape Town - Police are searching for three men who robbed a Pick n Pay Family supermarket in Plumstead of R250 000 on Thursday.
Police spokesman Keith Chandler said one of the men, who wore balaclavas, had put a gun to the assistant pay clerk’s head demanding money.
Chandler said the incident had taken place at the supermarket’s pay office, which is not inside the store but in the same centre.
He said the three men
had burst into the office.
“They went directly to the assistant pay clerk who was busy with the wages and put a pistol against her head,” he said.
The men allegedly said, “gee die geld” (give the money).
The robbers had stolen a box containing about R250 000 and a cellphone from the desk, he added.
They fled.
Within minutes of the robbery, specialised units were summoned to the scene.
A street away, in Windsor Road, police found the abandoned car which had red tape on its rear windscreen.
Police cordoned off the scene while curious residents asked what had happened.
“It’s scary, we are not safe anywhere,” said one.
Another resident said he had seen the car parked in the road the night before.
A security guard, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had had seen the car drive off.
“One of the cleaners shouted that the store had been robbed. I saw the people drive off in the car,” he said.
“I ran after the car, but it drove away.”
Regional manager of Pick n Pay Western Cape Abdurahman Hamdulay said no one had been injured during the robbery.
“The store was not closed. Pick n Pay is working with the police.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sergeant Arnold Bosch at 021 710 7321.
This is not the first incident to take place at the store. In November 2002, a cashier, who worked at the supermarket, was gunned down inside the store by her estranged husband.
Faye Pratt, 42, a packer and cashier, was murdered in full view of shoppers.
Her estranged husband, Timothy Pratt, 40, walked into the shop and shot her in the head before turning the gun on himself.
Cape Argus