Melmoth - An armed gang escaped with more than R130 000 after robbing a supermarket in the Zululand town of Melmoth at the weekend.
Police said five men, who had been posing as shoppers, struck at the Shoprite branch shortly before closing time, at 5.50pm, on Friday.
One went to the manager’s office on the ruse that he had a complaint. When he entered the office, he pointed a gun at the manager and demanded the safe keys.
A police source said: “It is not clear whether the keys were in the manager’s possession, or how the robbers got the keys, but they opened the safe and removed the money - an estimated R136 000.
“They also cleaned out the Money Market booth.”
Four of the accomplices threatened the staff and made them lie down.
A witness said another two robbers kept watch outside the shop, one armed with an AK-47.
The shop is situated in the town’s only mall, which opened recently.
The eyewitness said customers were also robbed of their valuables.
No one was injured in the attack.
The police were alerted to the robbery by a supermarket staff member who ran to the police station two blocks away.
The police said the gang had escaped by the time they arrived.
The Melmoth police yesterday said there had been no arrests as yet.
Daily News