Details regarding a robbery at Donna’s Deli in Vincent in East London were unclear on Sunday after the corner shop’s owner said he could not remember what had happened.
Serving a steady stream of customers through a bolted security gate, the owner declined to answer the Daily Dispatch’s questions, saying a prominent black bump on his forehead was the result of a fall.
Pressed about the Saturday robbery, which has been reported on social media, he said: “I do not remember what happened.”
He would only say that inaccurate information had been posted on Facebook.
However, the Daily Dispatch heard the shop owner confirming to customers that he had been robbed.
Police were also unable to provide specifics and would only say that a “manhunt was underway” following the business robbery at what they described as a Vincent “spaza shop” on Saturday.
Police spokesperson Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said although circumstances surrounding the incident were not clear, investigators were following all possible leads.
This follows after another Vincent Road store – Johnny’s Supermarket and Takeaways – was robbed by three armed robbers on Friday afternoon.
In this incident, customer Anthony Wilson was robbed of R1,500 by a man who held a gun to his head.
On Sunday, Donna Deli customer Charl Hammond said the owner was “a good oke”.
“I saw his wound and he told me he was robbed. He works so hard and it makes me angry he was robbed.
“It’s not right. Crime is getting worse here,” Hammond said.
Police said anyone with information can contact the investigating officer Sgt Luvo Mgilanda of the Cambridge Police Station on 043-709-7500 or 082-319-8064 or Captain Mzuku on 082-301-7345...