Robbers attack more frequently - cops

Some stand in the teller queues. Some loiter outside the entrance. Others sit in their cars, walk around the parking lot or window shop at the store next door.

Some stand in the teller queues. Some loiter outside the entrance. Others sit in their cars, walk around the parking lot or window shop at the store next door.

And at your next stop, they hit. Armed and dangerous, they come in groups for your money – and nothing will stand in their way.

Police say the robbers have the same modus operandi each time. But now their attacks are becoming more frequent.

On August 10, there were four incidents across Gauteng in which people were held up after being followed from the bank. On August 11, there were three more. One August 12, there were another six incidents. On August 13, there were four. On August 15, there were four more incidents. And on August 16, there were three incidents.

But these 24 incidents are a drop in the ocean. In all, 784 such incidents have taken place since January. The number has risen quickly from 2003, when there were a mere 28 similar incidents across the country.

South African Banking Risk Information Centre chief executive Kalyani Pillay said Gauteng had been hardest hit by far. Of the 784 incidents this year, 544 have taken place in Gauteng.

These were statistics the banks had gathered on their own.

In the latest incident on July 7, an innocent bystander, Soweto businessman Richmond Sebolai, was shot and killed when four men robbed Sam Ngunde, of Martindale, of R100 000 after he had left the FNB branch at The Glen shopping mall.

Ngunde felt he was being followed by unknown people in a car, so he parked his car and fled into a nearby shop in Martindale. But this did not stop the robbers. One chased him into the shop and fired shots.

Hot spots for the incidents are the Alexandra cluster, which has recorded 80, followed by the Germiston area with 63 incidents and Pretoria with 50. "The majority take place after customers leave the banks. But robbers have attacked some customers on their way to the bank to make a deposit," said Pillay.

"Banks are concerned. It is very difficult to deal with this kind of crime," said Pillay, adding that the centre wanted to alert and advise the public, particularly small business owners, to protect themselves. "You need to change your patterns. Change your banking days; use different cars. Be accompanied by someone who you trust, and know who you share your information with," she said.

Internet and mobile banking were also options that should be considered. While there was a possibility that staff in banks were colluding with robbers, she said the business owners’ staff often knew when their employers went to do their banking "These are organised syndicates. They are far more advanced. They watch people, their patterns, the days people do things. The odd attack is opportunistic," warned Pillay.

Deputy provincial police commissioner General Simon Mpembe said police had made 65 arrests since last October. At least 42 firearms and 39 vehicles had been recovered. Andy Mashaile, chairman of the provincial Community Police Forum Board, said his 136 forums would be engaging in mindset-changing programmes as communities also had a crime-prevention role.

 

Source :  iol.co.za - CANDICE BAILEY, August 19 2011

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