Durban - The odds were stacked against an armed gang that robbed a Chatsworth’s betting agent across the road from a police station on Wednesday with a robber shot dead and his two accomplices arrested.
A bystander was shot in the face and staff and punters were terrorised as the gang members assaulted and robbed them, then became involved in a gun battle with police.
Punters lay on the floor covering their heads when the fire fight with police broke out inside the premises.
The drama unfolded at about 12.30pm
when the three armed men entered Kruger Bets, between Funfair Road and Lenny Naidu (Pelican) Drive.
Bystanders rushed to the Bayview police station nearby and officers then surrounded the agency. Realising they were trapped, the robbers tried to shoot their way out.
Police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, confirmed a robber, 25, was shot dead on the road outside the premises and that two others, both 30, had been arrested.
“Police recovered three revolvers and an undisclosed amount of cash from the suspects. Police were not injured during the shoot-out,” Zwane said.
Punter Morgan Moodley, 58, said he had been busy preparing a jackpot and pick six bet when a man jumped over the fence and walked up to him holding a dagger.
“I was so engrossed in my racing sheet I never saw this guy. He pushed me into the bar area and grabbed a waitress’s hair. Others appeared and ordered us to lie on the floor.
“He put his hand in my pocket and took my phone and cash. My cigarette fell down and as I reached for it he screamed, ‘I will kill you’,” Moodley said.
The robbers began taking bottles of liquor and cash. Moodley said shots began going off and people became hysterical, not knowing where the shooting was coming from. He said he could smell the gunsmoke.
Marshall Munsamy, 48, said a bullet missed his shoulder and hit a chair next to him. He had been smoking and watching the cricket on television when the shooting started.
“The sound of rapid fire echoed. The robbers were banging on the doors trying to find an escape route. The men panicked. We remained on the floor until police told us it was safe,” Munsamy said.
After the gun battle, Billy Pather, 68, was found writhing in pain on the roadside and bleeding profusely from his face.
He was taken to RK Khan Hospital. Passer-by Pather had been returning from a shop when he was caught in the crossfire.
His son-in-law, Treven Thaver, said the stray bullet had entered and exited Pather’s left cheek bone, centimetres from his eye.
Colin Pillay said it was a life or death scenario during the robbery, which lasted about 15 minutes. He said his gold ring and cash were stolen.
“I wish I could go and kick the suspects the way they booted us. They threatened to stab the bartender and ripped her chain off. They wanted to bust bottles on our heads if we did not stay on the floor.”
Nishalin Pillay of Ezweni Security said the robbers had split up in an attempt to escape. One climbed on to the roof and jumped into a neighbouring building.
A bystander, who wished to remain anonymous, said he saw a robber holding a gun close to his chest trying to mingle with customers in the nearby shopping centre.
“All we heard a policeman say was ‘drop it’ and the crook saying ‘don’t shoot, my gun is empty’. He dropped the gun on to the floor. We were shocked,” Pillay said.
This is the second robbery at the premises in a month. Zwane said the revolvers would go for ballistic tests.
Bayview police are investigating robbery and attempted murder. The men are due to appear in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court.
Daily News