Durban – Two men on their way to deposit coins worth more than R500 000 were ambushed and robbed at gunpoint.
The incident took place at the intersection of Hunslet Road and Cross Road robots at M25 on-ramp in the Phoenix Industrial Park, on Thursday morning.
According to an incident report they had been transporting 30 crates with money bags, consisting of R5, R2, R1, 50c, 20c and 10c cash coins.
The money was loaded into a private vehicle and was headed to the SBV in Pinetown to be banked.
It is alleged en route the men were ambushed by a white Isuzu bakkie that drove in front of them and blocked the roadway forcing the driver to stop.
Three men, two armed, rushed towards the vehicle pointing firearms.
They entered the victim’s vehicle pushing both men in the back and drove off. The Isuzu bakkie followed behind.
The suspects allegedly drove to an abandoned spot in Duffs Road, Durban where they off-loaded 20 crates of coins consisting of R5, R2 and R1.
They are alleged to have left the smaller coins. The total value of the coins stolen were R545 947.
The robbers allegedly refused to take the victim’s phone because it was an old-make and took their vehicle keys.
The suspects fled the scene in their bakkie with the stolen coins.
The victims phoned their boss to assist them with the towing of the vehicle.
A case of armed robbery was opened at Phoenix SAPS.
Provincial police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said Phoenix SAPS are investigating a case of robbery following an incident in which a 58-year-old man and his colleagues were robbed by three armed men on Thursday, 23 February.
“The complainant alleged he was driving along Hunslet Road going to the bank when he and his colleague were accosted by unknown armed suspects who blocked their vehicle. At gunpoint the suspects took an undisclosed amount of cash and drove off.”
IOL