Explosives used in service station burglary attempt

Burglars tried to blow open a drop safe at the Engen service station in Malabar during an early-morning burglary.

The service station in Haworthia Drive – which is not a 24-hour operation – was targeted in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the alarm was triggered at about 1am but armed response security officers found nothing out of place.

Janse van Rensburg said that at about 3.45am the alarm triggered again and the manager was asked to go to the service station to unlock for security officers to check inside.

“On his arrival at 4.15am, the manager opened the building and noticed holes in the roof and that the drop safe had been tampered with.

“It is alleged that the suspects gained entry through the roof and used explosives in an attempt to open the drop safe.

“The explosives did detonate but failed to open the safe.

“The suspects had fled the scene empty-handed.”

A case of burglary is under investigation but due to explosives being used, the probe has been taken over by the provincial Organised Crime Investigation unit.

On September 13, the St Marks Community School in Framesby had a similar incident when suspects entered the school premises by cutting the perimeter fence and then cutting a hole in the roof.

The alarm was ripped out of the wall during the burglary.

Police confirmed that explosives had been used to open the safe.