Update
GEORGE NEWS - A business owner from George wants to warn other business owners in the area to be more vigilant when it comes to security after he suffered two big losses due to robberies this month.
On Saturday night, 25 May, shortly after closing time at around 23:00, his restaurant in Meade Street, Texas Grill, was the most recent target of armed robbers when four men, two of them carrying firearms, entered the restaurant from the back entrance in Doneraile Square.
The suspects proceeded to threaten the staff members before emptying all the safes and locking the staff in an office at the back of the building.
The robbers fled in an unknown vehicle with a substantial amount of money.
"The employees who were involved in the ordeal are all still very traumatised, but thankfully no one was injured," said the owner. We have all the security equipment at our disposal, but we've become lax. I hope our experience can serve as a warning to other business owners in George."
According to Southern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Chris Spies, no arrests had been made by Tuesday afternoon.
The investigation officer, WO Francois Kleyn, urges the public to come forward with any information that could assist police to track down the perpetrators. Anyone with information may contact the investigation officer on 044 803 4715 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Brazen burglar busted
Unfortunately this was not the first run-in with robbers the owner of Texas Grill had this month. On Wednesday night, 14 May, his business in York Street, Shenanigans, was also broken into. In this case however it was done by one opportunistic burglar.
According to unconfirmed information the man gained access to the building after everyone went home.
He then disarmed the alarm system and helped himself to an undisclosed amount of money.
The CCTV footage of his escapades was circulated among restaurant owners in the area and the burglar was spotted at a restaurant in Wilderness on Thursday 16 May. "The owner of the restaurant [in Wilderness] phoned me and said she suspects the same man who broke into Shenanigans was at her restaurant. Unfortunately when we arrived he had already left," said the owner.
The burglar's freedom was short-lived however, as two days later he was seen at another Wilderness restaurant and arrested.
Fuel station robbed in Thembalethu
In an unrelated incident a fuel station was robbed by two armed men in Ngcakani Road in Zone 1, Thembalethu, at about 01:20 on Sunday morning, 26 May.
According to Spies it is alleged that the suspects threatened the cashier and demanded cash. They took an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene.
At the time of going to print on Tuesday afternoon, no arrests had been made yet.
The Thembalethu police asks the public to come forward with any information that could assist police with this investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigating officer on 079 894 1576 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
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