Pretoria - Police in Pretoria have launched a manhunt for those responsible for an attempted robbery at a cellphone shop in a shopping mall in Centurion which left a security guard critically wounded, Gauteng police said on Sunday.
The attempted business robbery and attempted murder occurred at the Vodacom shop in the Forest Hill Mall in Centurion at about 9.50am, Captain Bonginkosi Msimango said.
"It is alleged that three men stormed into the shop with a security guard and forced the employees and two customers into the manager’s office."
They forced the employees to open a safe and enquired as to how long it would take to open. When the employees responded that it would take about 10 minutes the robbers left the victims in the office and walked to the basement "where they met a Fidelity security guard and shot him to the body".
The guard sustained gunshot wounds and was taken to the Unitas hospital in a critical but stable condition. The suspects fled on foot and no arrest had yet been made. The police investigation was continuing.
"We appeal to anyone with information to contact the police Crime Stop on 08600-10111 or Crime Line SMS 32211," Msimango said.
Earlier, ER24 spokesperson Annine Siddall said a security guard was in a critical condition in hospital after he was shot in the chest in the parking area of the shopping mall. At about 10am, ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene and found the man lying in the parking area of the mall.
“He was immediately assessed, treated, and transported to a nearby hospital to receive further medical care," Siddall said.