Carnival City robbery over in 10 minutes
2013-01-28 12:30
-
Johannesburg
Johannesburg: The elusive metropolis is a pioneering effort to insert South Africa's largest city...
Now R225.00
buy now
Dane McDonald and Nielen Bottomley, News24
Cape Town - No arrests have been made following an armed robbery at Carnival City casino in Brakpan, which apparently unfolded in just 10 minutes.
“The entire incident took approximately 10 minutes. We are currently assessing the value of the money and are co-operating fully with the SAPS who are investigating the circumstances surrounding the robbery,” Carnival City’s Enid Vickers said in a media statement.
Police spokesperson, Captain Julia Claassens said that a large group of [more than 10] suspects stormed the main entrance of the Carnival City casino in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to witnesses there were about 25 robbers and some carried assault rifles.
The suspects ordered patrons to lie on the floor and used a combination of sledgehammers and an angle grinder to gain access to a cash desk.
The gang fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
Shoot-out
ER24 spokesperson, Werner Vermaak, said one person was shot but wasn’t in a critical condition, and five were assaulted as the suspects fled the scene.
Carnival City claims that none of its patrons were among those injured.
“No customers were harmed during the incident, but the interaction between the robbers and security led to the perpetrators shooting two armed response guards on entry and a police reservist as they were making their escape,” Vickers said.
The shift manager at the casino alerted the police who rushed to the scene. A shoot-out ensued in which one police reservist and two private security guards were critically wounded.
The police reserve constable was identified as Anthony White, aged 33.
Fled in three vehicles
A unit manager at Glynwood hospital in Benoni said the officer is being treated in the general ward and is in a stable condition. She could not divulge the nature of his injuries.
The two private security guards are being treated at another hospital. Their condition cannot be disclosed at present.
The suspects fled in three get away vehicles, a white Toyota Hilux bakkie, a White BMW and a Silver [Navara] bakkie. The police manage to recover the abandoned Toyota bakkie not far from the scene.
No suspects have been arrested. The police are currently searching the area along the N17 highway close to Carnival city where the suspects fled the scene.
