Police have launched a manhunt for a gang of heavily-armed thugs who robbed a PEP store in Amalinda and fled with a large amount of money and cellphones.
The robbery took place at 10am on Thursday in front of horrified customers and five staff members, said acting store manager Lorraine de Klerk.
De Klerk said all five employees who were terrorised by the suspects during the attack, were sent home after the experience.
De Klerk said she was based at Buffalo Street PEP but was asked to cover for the manager who is one of the five staff members sent home.
De Klerk said no shots were fired during the incident and no person was harmed. “Unfortunately we cannot disclose the amount of money [taken]. No one is allowed to do that.”
This is the third robbery at a PEP store in East London since July after the chain's branches in the city centre's Albert Street and Cambridge suburb were robbed in July.
Mdantsane police spokesperson Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said: "Cambridge police are hot on the heels of suspects that allegedly robbed a store in Amalinda earlier today and made off with an undisclosed amount of money and cellphones.”
Mzuku said: "The circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear at this stage. Police are investigating a case of business robbery, no arrests yet.
"The police have called for the public's help in solving the crime. Anyone with information about the suspects can contact the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Vuyisile Njombolwana, on 082 441 8928 or 043 709 7500 or Crime Stop: 08600 10111. "..