Cape Town - A furniture shop employee has relived the moment four armed robbers entered her workplace.
She said two men went into the shop while the other two followed.
“They came in and said it’s a robbery. They showed us they had guns.
“They took us to the cash office to see the panic buttons and they wanted cash which they took. Then they took us into the storeroom, they wanted the keys and they took all the cellphones, bedding including mattress protectors and rechargeable lights.
“They put everything in bags they had brought with them.”
She said the armed suspects locked the employees inside the storeroom.
“They didn’t injure any of us, they told us to co-operate and they won’t do anything to us.
“They also said they were not going to take any of our belongings, they were just there to take the shop’s things because they were insured.
“I had my cellphone at the time and sent a voice message to my manager who wasn’t here at the time.”
The woman said she told her boss there was a robbery and they were locked in the storeroom. Within 15 minutes she (the boss) was at the shop. They found the key on one of the beds, that is how we were freed.
“I was left traumatised as this was the fourth robbery I experienced. The worst part is that I only started working here last Monday. I’m devastated.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said the suspects will be in court today.
“The prompt response and vigilance of members attached to the Western Cape Flying Squad in collaboration with law enforcement from the City of Cape Town, ensured that four suspects, aged between 25 and 45, will appear in court on charges related to armed robbery, possession of prohibited firearms, fraud and the possession of presumed stolen property.
“On Saturday at 11.20am law enforcement responded to an alert of suspicious black Toyota Yaris, possibly with cloned registration plates. The members spotted the vehicle with one occupant inside, later to be established, the driver of the getaway car.
“As the members were about to approach the vehicle, three men came running out of a store and climbed into the Yaris, which sped off.”
Pojie explained that a high speed chase ensued whereby the vehicle was finally boxed in and forced to a halt near Palmeira and Campground Road in Claremont.
“Upon searching the vehicle, members found three firearms, clothing items, bedding, cellular phones and a substantial amount of cash. The four occupants of the car were arrested and detained at the Claremont police holding cells.
“Further investigation confirmed that he suspects just pulled off an armed robbery at a shop in Claremont. The possibility that the four could be involved and possibly linked to offer serious crime, are being investigated.”
He said the four suspects, between the ages 25 and 45 would appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court this morning.