A Reservoir Hills man was robbed of R80 000 near a bank in Durban’s Florida Road.
|||Durban - A Reservoir Hills man was robbed of R80 000 near a bank in Durban’s Florida Road on Tuesday.
The man, who asked not to be named because he fears for his safety, said he had left his tyre and exhaust fitment business in Umgeni Road at about noon on Tuesday to deposit last week’s takings.
He stopped at Absa in Sandile Thusi (Argyle) Road, where he deposited half the money, before going to FNB in Florida Road to deposit the remaining R80 000.
Three men robbed him at gunpoint in the bank’s parking lot.
“While I was driving from Argyle to Florida, I didn’t notice anything suspicious. Even when I entered the parking lot of the bank, I didn’t notice anything.
“I was being followed by a silver BMW car, which also parked next to me, but again I thought the car’s occupants were just customers.
“It was when I was getting out of the car that the three car occupants surrounded me and pointed guns at me, demanding that I give them money.”
He said there was no one around to help him, so he reached into his jeans pocket and took out all the money.
He said the ordeal lasted just minutes.
The man, who was not harmed, said he was still coming to terms with what had happened.
A witness, who declined to be named, said he was doing some maintenance work opposite the bank, and believed the robbery was planned, pointing out that it happened when the security guard who monitors the bank’s parking lot was on lunch.
The witness said there were four robbers who came in two cars: three in the silver BMW and the fourth in a red VW Golf.
“The Golf arrived prior to the robbery and parked just across the road, a few metres from the bank, and had only one occupant, the driver.
“The BMW came then, following the victim’s car. After the robbery, both cars sped off,” said the witness.
hlengiwe.kweyama@inl.co.za
Daily News