Robbers strike twice in Port Alfred’s industrial area

A BUSINESS robbery is under investigation after three armed men took cash, a laptop, cellphones and a car from a gas supply business in the industrial area last Friday.

Police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender said the men entered the premises with a gas cylinder, preten- ding they were there to do business.

While one of the staff members was attending to one of the men, another drew a firearm and demanded cash. They took an undisclosed amount of money as well as a laptop and cell phones and a vehicle belonging to the owner.

Another robbery occurred in the same area on Saturday morning.

At about 9.20am, the owners of a motor spares business were busy when two unknown men walked into their premises and enquired about a car part.

While one of the victims attended to the customer, the other man held the other victim up with a knife and removed her jewellery. The second man then pushed the male victim to the ground and stepped on his chest. The men then bound the two victims with cable ties and fled with jewellery and an undisclosed amount of cash. No arrests have yet been made. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, a man was returning from a tavern at about 1am when he was approached by three men near Port Alfred Primêre Skool in Station Hill.

An exchange of gunfire took place between the man and the three alleged suspects. The man was shot in his upper body and sought help at a nearby house, whose occupants alerted an ambulance and the police.

A witness identified the victim as a well-known “runner” for a local druglord.

According to Govender, no suspects have been arrested and the motive is still under investigation.

A case of attempted murder has been opened.