The owner of a store in Thembelihle informal settlement is in a serious condition after he was assaulted with the butt of a gun and a hammer, and robbed by five men who broke in through the back door.

The owner, a Bangladeshi national (32), was relieving himself in a bucket inside the shop when the suspects entered on February 12, at about 11.15pm.

“They bound the victim’s hands and feet, and took the contents of the bucket the victim used to relieve himself in and poured it over his head demanding money,” said Captain Hector Netshivhodza of the Lenasia SAPS.

The five escaped with an undisclosed amount of money, groceries and the victim’s cell phone.

Police had not made any arrests in the case.