Carlo Petersen
A ROBBER, who police say was disguised as a woman, shot and killed a security guard yesterday morning – in the latest in a spate of mall robberies to have hit Cape Town.
The robber was one of two men, dressed as women and wearing wigs, who accosted a G4S Cash Solutions guard at the Waterstone Village Centre in Somerset West yesterday morning, according to police.
The modus operandi was very different from the kinds of heist at malls over the past few weeks. And even then, each previous robbery had been different from the other.
Western Cape police Deputy Commissioner Major-General Sharon Jephta admits it is a challenge.
“Policing the recent spate of robberies has been challenging in that robbers pose as customers and blend in with other shoppers,” Jephta said yesterday.
“However, as the SAPS we continue in conjunction with mall security to engage in preventive operations as a means of curbing these robberies.”
The past few weeks have been difficult for shopping mall management as they try to anticipate the movement of robbers. Canal Walk, which has been hit three times over the past two weeks, has implemented extra measures in a bid to keep shoppers safe before the festive season.
Yesterday, security guards at Canal Walk were armed with hand-held metal detectors and carried out random searches.
Canal Walk’s chief executive, Gavin Wood, said: “It has become a huge concern. We have increased our security personnel and deployed more undercover guards. We will be introducing further technology, including metal detectors, which enhances our CCTV and other security infrastructure.”
Wood said security guards would be doing frequent, random stop-and-searches. Perimeter fencing and access control would be installed.
Yesterday’s robbery at Waterstone Village Centre brought the tally of heists at malls to 15 in the Western Cape since the beginning of the year.
Somerset West police spokeswoman Mary-Ann Williams says the solitary guard was carrying two cases of money after collecting the previous day’s cash takings from the Pick n Pay store about 8.50am.
“He was approached by two (men), dressed as women and wearing wigs,” said Williams. “One of the perpetrators grabbed at one case and when the guard refused to let go he was shot in the face.
“The (robbers) ran off with the money and security guards gave chase. The guard died at the scene.”
Waterstone Village Centre security guard Albert Pitoyi said a shot was fired at him when he attempted to confront one of the robbers.
“I saw them running towards the parking lot and tackled one of them. I could tell it was a guy although they were dressed as women. While we were struggling he fired a shot at me. Luckily the bullet missed me,” said Pitoyi. “I saw them get into a car. There was a driver waiting for them.”
Police have confirmed the robbers fled in a silver Toyota Corolla with false number plates.
Somerset West resident Tristan Tiltman, 37, was in Pick n Pay during the shooting.
“I was buying doughnuts when I heard what I initially thought was a loud firecracker. Then I heard the people screaming and a security guard told us to get down. I hid myself behind what looked like a cupboard of some sort,” he said.
“When the noise subsided I walked out and people had gathered around the guard’s body. He was just lying there in a pool of blood. I was quite shaken. Nothing like this ever happens around here.”
Vodacom shop assistant Dewald Elder, 21, said: “I saw the whole thing. It could have been me. I’m scared of working here now.”
Pick n Pay and G4S Cash Solutions declined to comment.
Jephta said police could not rule out the possibility that a crime syndicate was behind the robberies.
Shopping centres targeted included Canal Walk, Tyger Valley, Somerset Mall, Blue Route Mall, Bayside and Zevenwacht shopping malls. Apart from the 15 robberies in the Western Cape, there have been 14 in Gauteng, two in the Free State and two in the Eastern Cape this year.
A syndicate has been identified in Gauteng. Jeptha said police were investigating “all possibilities” in the Western Cape.