The Sasol petrol station in Braamfischerville was allegedly blown up by a gang of five robbers in the early hour of Monday. Picture: Nozuko Mangena/IOL
Braamfischerville residents were woken by the sound of an explosion in the early hours of Monday, little did they know that their one and only ATM was being robbed.
A group of five suspects arrived in a van and within moments there was a huge “bang”, after which they fled with an undisclosed sum of money.
This comes after two ATMs were bombed (Standard bank and FNB) at the Sasol petrol station near Dobsonville police station in the early hours of Monday morning (June 3).
A resident said she was woken by an unusually loud bang around 3am and was shocked to see what had happened.
“This is concerning because it massively affects us as residents, now we will have to take a taxi and go to the mall just to withdraw a few rand, I don’t think this ATM will ever be fixed” said Pinky Lebone.
“Considering that the first time an event like this took place, it took close to a year to replace the damaged ATM… I am really worried on our behalf.”
A new crew member at that petrol station is still taken aback by what happened.
He told our IOL reporter that it is his first time seeing something like this happening close by.
“I thought I am going to die after this, I am grateful for my safety and really hope we can bounce back from this as a community. I saw my life flashing in before my eyes after that bang… I thought it was over for me,” he added.
A Dobsonville police officer said the police and private security officers were working tirelessly on this case. More information is set to be disclosed after their investigation has been completed.
IOL