Armed robbers terrorising businesses in Milnerton

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Cape Town - Gun-wielding robbers are terrorising businesses in Milnerton, with many of robbed more than once and the police seemingly unable to do anything about it. Sean Clauden from Milnerton, who works at Tops and Kwikspar in the Milnerton Mall, said he saw a couple of robberies on their CCTV cameras, and has notified crime watch and securities, “and their response has been excellent”. Clauden said pubs and taverns were also robbed weekly. “Places that have been robbed the past few months were the Tote in Milnerton, Shoprite Liquor, a Telkom shop inside the mall, and other shops along Koeberg Road.” He said there is also a shop called In and Out Mini Market in Brooklyn that was robbed twice in a month.

“This week, Clive’s tavern and a coffee shop in Lighthouse inside the mall was robbed at gun point,” he said.

A worker at the coffee shop said five armed robbers entered the premises on Monday before 7am and robbed people of their cellphones and other items.

A manager at Shoprite Liquor confirmed that they were robbed on January 5.

Akkosh Hossain, owner of In and Out Mini Market, said he was about to lock up when two men entered, pretending to be customers, and then pointed firearms at him, demanding money on Tuesday evening. Hossain said the robbers took his cellphone and cash.

“After the robbery, I fear for my life,” he said.

Hossain said the Tuesday robbery was the fourth at the shop. “The last one happened last year before the end of the year.”

He was then threatened by three unknown armed men telling him to hand over his cellphones and money.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said the police in Milnerton have intensified their crime prevention efforts to try to catch the criminals involved in the business robberies in the area.

“The mentioned cases are under investigation with no arrests so far,” he said.

DA ward councillor in Milnerton Ridge, Wandisile Ngeyi, said the matter of business robberies “was not under my jurisdiction, it is the police”.

He said it was hoped that Police Minister Bheki Cele would add more manpower and more police vans in his ward.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) researcher, Lizette Lancaster, said robberies leave the victim not only with the loss of hard-earned valuables but also psychological trauma.

“It can lead to physical injury or death,” said Lancaster.

She said although robberies could be substantially reduced by effective policing, communities could also help improve their own safety.

“This can be done through neighbourhood watches, community policing forums, and disrupting the market for stolen goods by increasing awareness or simply not buying such goods,” Lancaster said.

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