Cape Town - A YouTube CCTV surveillance video showing two men bombing an ATM at the Old Oak Road shopping centre in Bellville has gone viral on social media.
#ATMbombing trended on Twitter along with a YouTube link to the video,on Wednesday afternoon.
The attack took place on Wednesday a week ago at 4.15pm, when the centre was busy with shoppers.
The five-minute footage shows two men dressed in black entering the shopping centre. The first suspect, wearing a cap and a backpack hanging from his right shoulder, walks up to the ATM, which is opposite a supermarket, apparently to withdraw money.
He takes out a wallet and seems to be busy with his withdrawal. Shoppers and mall security walk past him, unaware.
The man looks around and takes something, which can’t be clearly seen in the video, out of his backpack.
He then drops the bag at his feet and kneels, fiddling with the bag and something else on the lower part of the machine.
After less than two minutes he walks away.
A few seconds later the machine explodes, flinging nearby stacks of shopping baskets and the ATM receipt roll in the air.
The same man returns and takes out what appears to be money from the destroyed machine. A second man, his accomplice, wearing a Panama hat, walks out of the supermarket opposite.
The accomplice reaches for a gun tucked into his waist and waves it towards the supermarket.
A woman comes out of a shop next to the ATM, walks towards it and then runs back into the shop.
The two men continue taking money from the ATM, and then walk out of the camera frame.
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said the incident happened at an ATM opposite a supermarket in Meerlust Street, La Rochelle, Bellville. “It is reported that four suspects entered the supermarket and used unknown explosives to damage the ATM and remove the cash box.”
Five suspects have been arrested.
Two are under police guard at a hospital; they were apparently wounded during an alleged shoot-out. The other three were also apprehended and three firearms were confiscated.
undefinedVan Wyk said no one else was injured during the incident, but police were investigating cases of attempted murder, malicious damage to property and business robbery.
People on Twitter shared the video and commented.
Lunga said: “ @Lunga_Sibande: Did you see the ATM bombing in that Bellville centre lol South Africans are on steroids this year.”
Jerry Chifamba said: “@JayCee240: In SA you can be killed by your girlfriend or a bomb at the ATM. Old Oak Bellville ATM Bombing.”
Real Steven Taylor said: “@steventaylorsa: Watch this ATM Bombing from Old Oak shopping centre Bellville @CapeTown last week.”
Ediaan Smit said: “@Ediaansmit: Bellville ATM Bombing Caught on Camera.”
Cape Argus