Armed robbers, pretending to be customers, steal electricity prepaid machine from petrol station shop

A prepaid electricity meter. l MATTHEWS BNALOYI

A prepaid electricity meter. l MATTHEWS BNALOYI

Published May 18, 2023

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Durban – Four armed robbers made off with a prepaid electricity machine from a petrol station shop on Chris Hani Road, previously known as North Coast Road, in the Redhill area of Durban on Wednesday.

Swift Private Security responded to the armed robbery at approximately 2pm.

According to the security company, an employee at the scene reported that four suspects arrived in a Silver Toyota Avanza to purchase electricity from the shop.

It said in an incident report that one of the suspects jumped out of the vehicle while the other three remained inside.

“The suspect approached the till and was interested in buying (electricity). While standing at the till, the suspect produced a firearm and forcibly took the airtime machine and fled,” said the security company spokesperson.

The company said the vehicle had no number plates at the front or back.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said Greenwood Park police were investigating a case of common robbery.

Netshiunda said this followed an incident where a 54-year-old man was allegedly robbed of an electricity prepaid machine at a shop on Chris Hani Road on May 17.

“It is alleged that the suspects entered the shop and pretended to buy electricity before snatching the machine from the cashier’s hands. The suspects reportedly fled the scene in a vehicle,” said police.

THE MERCURY