Cops recover loot after high-speed car chase, Duncan Village shootout

A HOLLYWOOD-STYLE armed robbery played out in an East London clothing shop on Tuesday morning when two armed men held up staff and a police officer, and locked them in the storeroom.

The armed gang stole money and cellphones from Pep Stores in the city centre – but did not hang onto their loot for long.

Thirty minutes after the robbery, Flying Squad members driving on the Mdantsane Access Road became suspicious of a vehicle and when they approached it, it sped off, said East London police spokeswoman Mqala.

“The police were not even aware that it was a vehicle used for the robbery and they chased after it and it drove to Duncan Village.”

The miscreants drove into a culde-sac and, realising that they were cornered, fired at the police, but luckily, none was injured.

“The police fired warning shots but the men managed to flee and left their getaway vehicle behind,” she said.

Police searched the vehicle and found all the stolen property that had been taken from the store.

A case of armed robbery has been opened. Warrant Officer Hazel

It is not clear how much money was taken from the shop but Mqala said a number of cellphones were taken from display cupboards.

She said the staff and a police officer were moved to the back of the shop into the store room.

“They locked the staff at the back of the store together with an onduty police officer who was there to buy airtime,” said Mqala.

The robbery began when two men entered the store pretending to be customers.

They drew a firearm and ordered the staff to the back of the store and started taking cash from the tills, she said.

As the men were busy looting, the police officer entered the store and went to buy airtime from the counter without suspecting anything.

He noticed unfamiliar faces behind the counter and as he was about to ask what was happening, he was pushed to the back of the store to join the staff.

“Luckily no one was hurt and the member had no firearm with him at the time.

“The men managed to flee and apparently jumped into a Toyota vehicle parked outside the store,” she said.

Mqala said the victims managed to free themselves and call the police.