A security guard responding to an alert was seriously injured in an explosion at an ATM in Meyerton around 2am on Thursday, Vaal Rand police said.
Spokesperson Captain William Mcera said an all-night security guard at the NTN shopping centre on the corner of Johan le Roux and Bell roads had called for backup when he became suspicious of four men who had gathered around an ATM.
”He was standing about 10m away [from the ATM] when he saw them put a bag containing an unknown instrument next to the Standard Bank ATM,” said Mcera.
The men then drove away in a new Toyota Corolla. The guard alerted his control room which responded by sending additional security personnel.
When backup personnel arrived, ”one of the men went to look at what was in the bag when unfortunately that’s when it exploded”, said Mcera.
Mark Stokoe of Netcare 911 said: ”One guard was injured, with facial injuries, lacerations and bleeding as well as bleeding from the nose and generalised pain to the right side of his body.”
The man was taken to a private hospital where he was in a serious but stable condition.
”One of them said it appeared as if there was smoke coming from the ATM machine,” said Stokoe.
The ATM was extensively damaged. – Sapa