/ 30 April 2006

Thousands stolen in Free State bank robbery

Thousands of rands were stolen when three men posing as clients robbed a Virginia bank in the Free State on Saturday morning, police said.

Spokesperson Inspector Stephen Thakeng said three employees were serving clients at the bank while two security officers stood by, when the robbers entered the bank.

”The two security officers were pointed with handguns and all the clients and personnel were instructed to lie on the floor,” said Thakeng.

The robbers demanded the keys to the safe and removed thousands of rands. Thakeng said the men also took cellphones belonging to the clients and staff. The suspects fled the scene and are still at large.

In a separate incident in Odendaalsrus a cellphone shop was robbed of about R29 000 cash and cellphones worth R16 000 on Saturday afternoon.

The owner of the shop, Shakkel Ahmad, was parking his car in front of the shop while waiting for his brother when he was approached by two men posing as clients who wanted to buy cellphones.

”Ahmad went inside the shop accompanied by the two men. They wanted to have a look at nine cellphones which were put on the counter,” said Thakeng.

He said one of the men left the shop briefly before coming back and pointing a gun at Ahmad. The other robber had a knife.

They took the money and cellphones and left the scene without firing any shots. — Sapa