Robbers hit in high-rise

2007-12-13 13:40

Johannesburg - Four people were seriously injured in an armed robbery at a foreign exchange office in a Durban shopping centre on Thursday.

Police spokesperson Director Phindile Radebe said the incident took place just after 10:00 at the office called Africa on the 7th floor of the Musgrave Towers at the Musgrave Shopping Centre.

"Three armed men entered the office and demanded cash from the staff," said Radebe.

"While looking for the safe keys, they threatened the staff and two employees were stabbed."

The robbers managed to find the safe keys, opened the safe and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

"They then ran off and while fleeing, police apprehended three of them in the centre... one of the suspects jumped out of a window to evade police," she said.

Jumped from 7th floor

ER24 spokesperson Derrick Banks said they had treated the suspect who jumped out of the 7th floor window.

"He fractured his leg and had facial injuries... He will be taken to Addington Hospital."

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said they treated three people inside the office.

"One man was stabbed three times on his back, another woman was stabbed in the arm and leg and another woman was assaulted," he said.

All three were taken to a nearby hospital in serious conditions.

It was not clear whether the woman who was assaulted was a staff member or a customer.

Durban's organised crime unit and the Durban dog unit recovered the stolen money, three cellphones, a knife and a pistol.

Radebe said a fourth robber, believed to have been keeping watch outside the shopping centre, escaped.

"We are following up on leads," she said.

The men face charges of armed robbery and attempted murder.

They would appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court soon.

- SAPA