Toll plaza robbed

2003-12-01 22:12

Johannesburg - Four armed men wearing balaclavas robbed the Villiers/Wilge toll plaza of R153 000 on Monday, Free State police reported.

Captain Motarafi Ntepe said a 38-year-old supervisor who was alone in the control room at about 02:30 was attacked by the men.

She had heard footsteps inside the building, but before she could do anything the men entered her office, threatened her with guns and demanded the safety-deposit box keys.

The main safe, however, is fitted with time delay locks and the keys are not kept at the premises, Ntepe said.

The robbers opened the safe using an angle-grinder and took the cash inside it.

While the robbers were busy one of the woman's colleagues entered the offices on his way to the men's room. He was also threatened with firearms and was tied up with rope.

The robbers fled on foot without injuring anyone.

The police have established that the robbers, using a bolt-cutter, had entered the premises by cutting through the back fence and then through burglar bars.

- SAPA