Motorists in one of Kimberley’s busiest streets were stunned when they witnessed an armed robbery unfolding in broad daylight.
MOTORISTS in one of Kimberley’s busiest streets were stunned when they witnessed an armed robbery unfolding in broad daylight earlier this week.
The incident occurred in Long Street close to a motor dealership.
According to witnesses, they saw a man being robbed by two men who got out of their vehicle in the middle of Long Street.
“The man who was robbed appeared to have been talking on his cellphone. He was coming from the direction of a local vehicle dealership and was walking in the parking lot of the dealership when he was attacked.”
Witnesses said nothing appeared out of the ordinary while the man was standing next to the road talking on his cellphone.
“However, the next moment a white car stopped in the road and two men got out. They grabbed the backpack he had on him and got back into their car and drove off,” they said.
“The men who got out of the car were wearing balaclavas and you could not see their faces. One of the robbers made a gesture which appeared as if he had a gun in one of his pockets. How did they know what was inside the bag?
“Why would they stop next to the road and grab a bag from someone who was just standing next to the road, talking on his phone? This happened in the morning, after 10am.
“These people must have known the man or the suspects must have followed the man to the dealership knowing that he had money or something valuable inside his bag. The robbery was over in less than 20 seconds and next to a busy road. The men knew their target and what he was carrying,” they said.
Staff at the dealership said they alerted the police.
“We contacted the police and they reacted swiftly. We do not have any details on what happened or what led to the incident. We are happy that none of our clients or staff were harmed during the incident,” they said.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Dikeledi Gopane said the police are investigating a case of armed robbery.
“The complainant was outside the dealership, talking on his cellphone, when he was attacked by two unknown males who demanded money from him. The suspects robbed the complainant of an undisclosed amount in cash and fled the scene in a white Toyota Corolla.
“Anyone who may have information that could assist the police in tracking down the suspects can contact the SAPS emergency number on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS app. The police investigation is ongoing,” Gopane said.
