Kimberley -
Six men have been arrested as more details have come to light regarding the diamond heist that took place at the Steyn Diamante Mine early on Monday morning.
A gang of between 15 and 20 men stormed the mine, situated between Douglas and Prieska, before overwhelming a group of employees.
The workers sustained severe injuries as they were allegedly tied up, assaulted, shot at and held at gunpoint during the robbery.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesman, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said on Tuesday that the suspects broke into a safe and stole three diamonds.
“It is believed that the driver of one of the mine’s dump trucks was on one of his routine trips to deposit his load when the robbers approached him and one of them pointed a firearm at him,” Mulaudz said.
“The driver was allegedly assaulted and forced out of the truck, which was then taken over by one of the robbers. They also tied the driver’s hands and feet with a rope.
“During the ordeal, the manager of the mine arrived in a company vehicle and he met the same fate as the truck driver.”
According to Mulaudzi, the alleged robbers, who by this time had control of two of the mine’s vehicles, drove back to the mine.
“On arrival they found a driver of a front loader on duty. Without warning, the robbers smashed the truck into the front loader, forcing the driver of the front loader to drive away.”
However, the driver was unable to escape because the front loader was not fast enough.
“The suspects caught up with him on the mine’s premises. One of them fired a shot at the front loader’s battery and then aimed the firearm at the driver’s head. However, the shot missed the target.”
He added that the robbers broke every machine on sight and also found a black safe, which they blasted open. They took three diamonds, the value of which has not yet been established.
Owner of Steyn Diamante, Schalk Steyn, has however indicated that the stolen diamonds were used as “testers” and were minimally valued, low grade stones.
The search for the diamonds and the other suspects continues with further arrests being imminent, Mulaudzi said.
The arrested suspects, aged between 27 and 50 years, are expected to appear in court soon.
A mine worker who was admitted, along with others, to Prieska Hospital with severe injuries, was discharged yesterday and is currently recovering at home.
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