Four armed men are still at large after fleeing the Bilimoria Cash and Carry store in East London’s Oriental Plaza with R47000 in cash.
The men had moments earlier exchanged heavy gunfire with armed response security guards, resulting in a one man being shot and wounded in the leg.
This man was arrested and is recovering in a city hospital under police guard.
The security guards work for Red Alert and manager Brett Harvey said they had responded to “multiple panic activations” from a business near Bilimoria.
“The manager of the business had seen the Bilimoria owner being taken hostage by men with firearms and alerted us,” Harvey said.
“When our guard got to the scene he found the door to the store closed and when he tried opening it the were waiting for him.
“They started firing randomly at him and he retreated to take cover and fired back. Members of the public fled in different directions,” Harvey said, adding that the four men regrouped behind the store and fled in a vehicle.
No members of the public were harmed during the shooting.
The Daily Dispatch visited the scene yesterday morning and found scores of spent cartridges and live rounds of ammunition in front of the store.
Police did not rule out the possibility of an inside job as the robbers knew the location of the safe and had brought a drill with them to try and gain access.
The drama unfolded shortly after 7am when the unidentified Bilimoria store owner walked into the supermarket to prepare for the day in the company of two unarmed security guards.
East London police said five men dressed in blue overalls followed them in and held them up at gunpoint.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said: “The two security guards were a man and woman. They were made to lie down on the floor of the store.
“Two pointed the owner … led them to his office where the safe was located.”
While in his office the men began drilling into the safe and took the money.
They also fled with four cellphones.
“We don’t know who pressed the panic button but as soon as the made their way out of the store they were met by two armed guards from Red Alert at the door, where a shootout ensued,” Mqala said.
The armed response officers retreated and took cover, at which point the five men exited the store. The shootout continued in front of street vendors and commuters and Mqala said as the men fled they split in different directions.
“One armed response guard gave chase and shot one man in the leg, causing him to collapse.
“He attempted running but he could not because of the gunshot wound.
“Police were called to the scene and they organised an ambulance for him,” said Mqala, adding that the man was taken to hospital.
He remains under police guard.
She added that the owner of the store had a cut just below his jawline where a knife was pressed against his skin.
Mqala said a case of business robbery had been opened for investigation.
She said the arrest of four suspects was imminent.
The owner of the store was too traumatised to speak to the Dispatch. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Shootout at EL Oriental Plaza store
The men had moments earlier exchanged heavy gunfire with armed response security guards, resulting in a one man being shot and wounded in the leg.
This man was arrested and is recovering in a city hospital under police guard.
The security guards work for Red Alert and manager Brett Harvey said they had responded to “multiple panic activations” from a business near Bilimoria.
“The manager of the business had seen the Bilimoria owner being taken hostage by men with firearms and alerted us,” Harvey said.
“When our guard got to the scene he found the door to the store closed and when he tried opening it the were waiting for him.
“They started firing randomly at him and he retreated to take cover and fired back. Members of the public fled in different directions,” Harvey said, adding that the four men regrouped behind the store and fled in a vehicle.
No members of the public were harmed during the shooting.
The Daily Dispatch visited the scene yesterday morning and found scores of spent cartridges and live rounds of ammunition in front of the store.
Police did not rule out the possibility of an inside job as the robbers knew the location of the safe and had brought a drill with them to try and gain access.
The drama unfolded shortly after 7am when the unidentified Bilimoria store owner walked into the supermarket to prepare for the day in the company of two unarmed security guards.
East London police said five men dressed in blue overalls followed them in and held them up at gunpoint.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said: “The two security guards were a man and woman. They were made to lie down on the floor of the store.
“Two pointed the owner … led them to his office where the safe was located.”
While in his office the men began drilling into the safe and took the money.
They also fled with four cellphones.
“We don’t know who pressed the panic button but as soon as the made their way out of the store they were met by two armed guards from Red Alert at the door, where a shootout ensued,” Mqala said.
The armed response officers retreated and took cover, at which point the five men exited the store. The shootout continued in front of street vendors and commuters and Mqala said as the men fled they split in different directions.
“One armed response guard gave chase and shot one man in the leg, causing him to collapse.
“He attempted running but he could not because of the gunshot wound.
“Police were called to the scene and they organised an ambulance for him,” said Mqala, adding that the man was taken to hospital.
He remains under police guard.
She added that the owner of the store had a cut just below his jawline where a knife was pressed against his skin.
Mqala said a case of business robbery had been opened for investigation.
She said the arrest of four suspects was imminent.
The owner of the store was too traumatised to speak to the Dispatch. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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