A spate of recent armed robberies that have occurred in the greater Durban area in the past fortnight seem to have a common thread of a white Toyota Etios being used as the getaway car by the suspects.
“Although it is still unconfirmed whether or not it is the same gang Blue Security units are definitely on the alert for this vehicle,” said Blue Security community and media liaison officer, Andreas Mathios.
“On Sunday morning our reaction officer responded to an incident where two security guards at a business park were held up at gunpoint by four armed men who arrived in a white Toyota Etios,” Mathios said. “The guards were robbed of their cellphones before the gang proceeded to a business premises within the complex,” he said. “The front door was forced open, the admin office broken into and two computer screens, one plasma tv, two laptops and one computer tower removed,” he said. “The suspects then fled in the awaiting getaway vehicle, he said. “Members of Pinetown SAPS attended and the case is being investigated,” he said.
In the early hours of Monday morning Blue Security responded to an alarm activation from a premises just over a kilometre away from Sunday’s incident in New Germany.
“On arrival at the business premises the reaction officer found the pedestrian gate, front security gate and door forced open,” Mathios said. “When additional back-up arrived a further check was done only to find the security guards for two adjoining premises tied up with shoelaces,” he said. “The victims said that they had been tied up by two suspects wearing balaclavas. The intruders fled with a plasma TV, two stolen cellphones and a gate receiver,” he said. Pinetown SAPS attended the scene and investigations are continuing.
In a separate incident, also on Sunday, two men attempted to carry out an armed robbery at an Umbilo supermarket.
“According to reports received the suspects arrived in a white Toyota Etios, armed with a firearm, and attempted to rob the supermarket,” Mathios said.
“Fortunately no shots were fired, no injuries sustained and nothing was taken before the suspects fled in their getaway vehicle,” he said. “In the previous week staff at two separate supermarkets in Pinetown and Queensburgh were held up and robbed of cash and valuables by suspects using a white Toyota Etios. An armed response officer also narrowly escaped being shot at while in pursuit of hijackers who were using a white Toyota Etios,” he said. “Blue Security units are keeping a special lookout for any suspicious activity by occupants travelling in a vehicle of the above mentioned description,” Mathios said.
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