A 32-year-old man was expected to appear in the eMalahleni Magistrate's Court on Thursday, after he was arrested in Witbank for trying to rob a restaurant using a toy gun, Mpumalanga police said.
The man allegedly entered the restaurant in the Witbank CBD on Tuesday night and pretended to be a customer.
“He then pulled out an object which resembled a firearm, put it on the counter and demanded cash,” Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.
“The cashier's colleagues activated a panic button, while a call for help was made from the nearby supermarket, as well as security personnel,” he said.
“The suspect tried to escape empty-handed, but it was too late for him as he was apprehended by the security officers from CSC Tactical Security company after spotting him as they were patrolling in the area.”
The 32-year-old was found to be in possession of the toy gun.
Mohlala said police were summoned to the scene and the man was charged for attempted business robbery.
He said the arrested man is due to appear before the eMalahleni Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has commended the partnership between private security companies and police in the area.
In April, a 34-year-old man was arrested in Mpumalanga after police recovered more than R100,000, bullets and a toy gun, linked to theft of money from a Capitec ATM.
At the time, Mohlala said police in Mpumalanga said the man also had a magazine of a pistol.
“It is said that a group of about five suspects allegedly went to a Capitec ATM at a certain shopping centre in a purple Volkswagen Polo.
“It is alleged that they somehow gained access to where the money was and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the ATM. An alarm was then activated which notified the security company who in turn alerted the Standerton SAPS,” said Mohlala.
Four of the criminals fled, as the 34-year-old man was cornered by the law enforcement agents.
“He was charged for burglary as well as for possession of suspected stolen property, the money. He is expected to appear at the Standerton Magistrate’s Court soon, facing the said charges,” Mohlala said.
IOL