PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - With a gun in his face, 94-year-old Schalk Vorster of Plett Jewellers held down a robber by his legs on the counter of his shop as he was being robbed at 08:20 on Tuesday 6 December.
One of his alleged assailants was shot dead in a subsequent police operation trying to apprehend the robbers.
Vorster recounted his dramatic experience in his jewellery shop, the second robbery he has endured on the premises.
The other one was in 2007. He said he opened the security gate at about 08:20 to a customer who had shown interest in buying gold chains the previous day. Vorster said "three of them" then entered the shop. Two had firearms.
"One tried to jump over the counter and I grabbed his legs and held him down, while he pushed a gun into my face," said Vorster.
His wife Irene ran from the back of the shop when she heard the commotion and started shouting.
"What probably saved us," said Vorster, "was a cleaning woman who tried to close the door on the suspects." The poor cleaning lady suffered shock during the ordeal and was taken to hospital, Vorster explained.
The robbers were scared off and made a run for their getaway vehicle.
Hearing Irene shouting, owner of an electronics shop next door Mohammed Abbas, went out onto the pavement and saw the Silver Series 5 BMW parked on the road. He approached the car and tried to stop it from leaving, but one of the alleged robbers pointed a firearm at him and Abbas stepped back.
"I immediately telephoned the police and they were here in under two minutes," said Abbas. "Two of them had guns. The car left on Main Street and sped along Marine Drive."
A car chase and shoot-out
After the robbery, in which four trays of rings and jewellery were taken, the robbers left via Marine Drive and sped towards Uniondale. The BMW was later spotted along the Prince Alfred Pass on the R339 between Uniondale and Avontuur, and Southern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Chris Spies confirmed that a vehicle chase ensued, followed by a shoot-out between the suspected robbers and the police.
"The forces pursued the vehicle which fled in the direction of Uniondale. This vehicle was later found with one occupant with a gunshot wound to the leg. Circumstances surrounding his presence and injury are being investigated," said Spies.
One of the suspects involved in the robbery had left the vehicle and fled into the bushes, and remains at large.
Further investigation indicated that during their attempted escape, suspects forced a female driver out of her vehicle, a Hyundai Accent, and sped off, according to Spies.
"This vehicle was brought to a halt on the N9 at Uniondale Heights where one suspect was found with multiple gunshot wounds. He was declared dead on the scene by paramedics," said Spies. The third suspect, who was also in the Hyundai Accent, was arrested on the scene.
Two in hospital, one suspect at large
"Meanwhile the gentleman found in the BMW, and a woman, owner of the hijacked vehicle, were taken to hospital for medical care," said Spies.
Some of the jewellery was recovered and police also confiscated a pistol found in possession of one of the suspects. "Cases of armed robbery, attempted murder and carjacking were opened for further police investigation."
He added that police and rural safety structures are on high alert monitoring the area in the search for the suspect who remains at large. "He was dressed in black at the time and is believed to be armed.
The public is urged not to approach the suspect if spotted, but to contact the local police with any information about his whereabouts or Crime Stop on 08600 10111," said Spies. Investigations into the matter are at an early stage.
Electronics shopkeeper Mohammed Abbas points to where the Silver Series 5 BMW was parked. When he tried to stop the getaway car, the alleged robbers pointed a firearm at him and he stood back.
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