‘Police stole money and ransacked my store during raid’
A SUPERMARKET owner claims police broke into her store, stole money, her wedding ring, and helped themselves to energy drinks and cooldrink during a recent raid at Tee’s Tavern in Stanmore, Phoenix.
Police swooped on the tavern owned by Trevor Gopal on December 21. They were allegedly looking for drugs and firearms. Police have previously raided Gopal’s home looking for drugs. Gopal also owns the building. Just after midnight, the store owner, who declined to be named, received a call from her security company that the alarm was triggered.
A security guard was deployed to check the store and he informed the company that police were conducting a raid at the tavern.
The 61-year-old did not think much of it because raids were often conducted in the area.
But minutes later, she was told the police were in her shop.
“When I got to the store the raid was over and a few officers were around. One of them told me they were searching my store for drugs and firearms. I was shocked by this.”
The mother of two said when they left, she entered the premises to find that it had been turned upside down.
“The gate and the door at the back were broken down. My cupboards were ransacked. I had R1 800 in the cash register, R35 000 under the counter and about R4 000 from a toy machine were missing.”
She also claimed that her R25 000 wedding ring, which was also at the store, was taken. “I took it off to wash my God lamp and I left it at the shop.”
The woman said as she walked through the store, she saw empty cooldrink and energy drink cans on the floor.
She added that the CCTV cameras in the supermarket had been re-angled and the computer hard drive, which would have stored the footage, was also missing.
“Raids are always done at the tavern and on many occasions, I allowed the police to go through my store to gain access to the tavern. I cannot understand why they did this to me.”
The woman said she opened the shop in 1992. “It is my bread and butter and has helped sustain my family. There are a lot of repairs that need to be done.
If my insurance does not foot the entire bill, I will have to pay.”
The woman has since opened a case of theft and malicious damage to property at the Phoenix police station.
She said she had not reported the incident to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said a case of burglary was being investigated.