Patrons of an Overport bar laughed in the faces of four clumsy and seemingly drunk armed robbers during a hold-up.
|||Durban - Despite guns being pointed at their heads, patrons of an Overport bar laughed in the faces of four clumsy and seemingly drunk robbers during a hold-up on Tuesday.
Six KwaMashu men are to appear in court on Thursday.
Moments after the robbery, they were arrested in a minibus taxi on the corner of Felix Dlamini (Brickfield) Road and Crescent Street.
Police recovered three unlicensed firearms and impounded the white Toyota Hi Ace minibus, allegedly used by the men as their getaway vehicle.
Michael Ruzvidzo, manager of the Hilltop Sports Bar, in West Road, said two men had entered the sports bar and bought a quart of beer.
He said they had been drinking in a corner for a while when another two men joined them. Two others remained in the minibus taxi.
“From staff reports the atmosphere inside the bar was jovial,” Ruzvidzo said.
“The four men got up, showed their firearms and started to rob the patrons from one side.
“They placed a gun at the head of my bar manageress and emptied out the till. While she was handing over her phone one of the men dropped the phone next to the fridge. He could not find it and moved on.
“They approached the betting office next to the bar and demanded money. They threatened to shoot the lady behind the counter when she refused to open the door.”
Patrons said one of the armed men became frustrated that no one would listen to him at the betting office.
He withdrew the magazine from the gun to show them that it contained real bullets. Patrons said the men clumsily dropped items during the robbery.
Ruzvidzo said the men threatened to shoot one of the patrons because they could not take off his jacket.
He said the men walked out of the bar, leaving their own cellphone behind on the table.
“We can laugh about it now because we are lucky they were not trigger-happy. I am glad they were arrested,” he said.
Patrons who did not want to be named - because they were quenching their thirst during work hours or ducking their wives - said some of them negotiated with the men to return their phones, telling the robber they were pensioners.
The men handed back some phones, while they dropped the others later during the robbery.
Police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane said the robbers ranged in age from 20 to 32.
He confirmed that four men held up the bar patrons and staff and that two other men were waiting for them in a minibus taxi nearby.
The six face charges of robbing a business and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Mayville policemen involved in the arrests were Sgt Rajendra Seethal and Constables Mohamed Rasool, Sifiso Gumbi, Sabelo Myeni, Xolani Manqele and Saziso Biyela.
Daily News