Five armed men robbed the Spar Tops liquor store in Quigney at gunpoint and made off with money from the cash register and expensive bottles of alcohol.
The robbery took place on Wednesday night inside the store, located between Currie Street and Inverleith Terrace.
The men, wearing gloves, big jackets and hats, were armed with 9mm pistols.
The store’s supervisor, Hlobo Mtekwane, said at the time of the robbery there were three employees, a guard and four customers.
She said it was 6.18pm when the first suspect entered the store pretending to be a customer.
He was then followed in by four other men who stormed the cash register point while pointing their firearms at Mtekwane and her woman colleague.
She said one man had said to her, “Keep quiet! Tell your friend not to scream or shout. Open the till”.
She said the customers hid themselves behind the shelves.
“We were then taken to the cold room and told to stay there. The whole thing ended in just five minutes,” Mtekwane said.
While the staff were in the cold room, the robbers helped themselves to bottles of Johnnie Walker Black and Red, Hennessey, Chivas and Bisquit.
They also took four cartons of cigarettes, a cashier’s cellphone and wallet and a bag belonging to one of the customers.
“We were told to come out of the cold room by customers after the men had left the store,” Mtekwane said. Police then conducted their investigation.
East London police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said a case of armed robbery was opened at the Fleet Street Police Station.
Tana said anyone with information on the robbery was asked to call the Fleet Street police station on 043-707-0687 or the police CrimeStop Line on 08600-10111.
Any information would be treated as confidential, Tana said.
The store was opened for business yesterday. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Armed men grab cash and fine liquor
The robbery took place on Wednesday night inside the store, located between Currie Street and Inverleith Terrace.
The men, wearing gloves, big jackets and hats, were armed with 9mm pistols.
The store’s supervisor, Hlobo Mtekwane, said at the time of the robbery there were three employees, a guard and four customers.
She said it was 6.18pm when the first suspect entered the store pretending to be a customer.
He was then followed in by four other men who stormed the cash register point while pointing their firearms at Mtekwane and her woman colleague.
She said one man had said to her, “Keep quiet! Tell your friend not to scream or shout. Open the till”.
She said the customers hid themselves behind the shelves.
“We were then taken to the cold room and told to stay there. The whole thing ended in just five minutes,” Mtekwane said.
While the staff were in the cold room, the robbers helped themselves to bottles of Johnnie Walker Black and Red, Hennessey, Chivas and Bisquit.
They also took four cartons of cigarettes, a cashier’s cellphone and wallet and a bag belonging to one of the customers.
“We were told to come out of the cold room by customers after the men had left the store,” Mtekwane said. Police then conducted their investigation.
East London police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said a case of armed robbery was opened at the Fleet Street Police Station.
Tana said anyone with information on the robbery was asked to call the Fleet Street police station on 043-707-0687 or the police CrimeStop Line on 08600-10111.
Any information would be treated as confidential, Tana said.
The store was opened for business yesterday. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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