When one robber was blasted with a high powered paintball bullet, three of his accomplices surrendered after allegedly breaking into a jewellery shop in Pepper Grove Mall. A fifth gang member armed with a gun held a mall security guard hostage and later managed to escape.
When one robber was blasted with a high powered paintball bullet, three of his accomplices surrendered after allegedly breaking into a jewellery shop in Pepper Grove Mall. A fifth gang member armed with a gun held a mall security guard hostage and later managed to escape.
Hi-Tec officers Jaques Pienaar and Riaan van Wyk caught members of the gang who were allegedly running out of Androniki’s Manufacturing Jewellers with pillow cases loaded with jewellery in the early hours of the morning.
Using a BT4 paintball gun, one of the officers shot at three of the gang members, striking one in the neck, and forced them to surrender. The paintball gun had been introduced to Hi-Tec by armed response manager Derek Richardson about two months ago.
Van Wyk and Pienaar say the semi-automatic gun which shoots white ceramic balls is the future of minimum force law enforcement.
The gang had attempted to rob the jewellery store of watches, bangles and pendants from Androniki’s. According to the docket, the items are valued at R28 000.
Androniki’s owners Manny and Andri Stergio said damage to the shop was estimated at R5 000. They said no precious jewellery was in the shop as valuable items, including those belonging to customers, were locked away.
The gang have appeared in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court on armed robbery charges. The four men were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody by magistrate Nishani Beharie. The four were not represented during their court appearance.
Two of the suspects are from Port Elizabeth, one is from Mdantsane and one is from Grahamstown.
Police spokesperson Inspector Milanda Coetzer said the police were concerned that criminals came from out of town and targeted Grahamstown.
