The SAPS at Siloam are investigating a case of armed robbery which happened at Vhutuwangadzebu in the Nzhelele area on 21 February, at about 16:45.

According to reports, four men from a local hardware store were robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash. Safvan Patel, an assistant in the hardware store, says that they had just closed up the shop and were busy preparing to leave when they noticed a red Toyota Tazz parked outside the yard. The moment they stepped into their vehicle, the red sedan approached them and parked in front of them.

Four armed men jumped out of the car and surrounded the men's car while pointing guns at the occupants. They started to hit the windows with guns while ordering the occupants to open the doors.

According to Patel, the suspects eventually managed to gain entry into the car and hit two men on their heads with guns before taking an undisclosed amount of cash. The robbers then fled the scene.

Three of the four men who were inside the car that got robbed suffered head injuries and the other one suffered an eye injury as the broken pieces of glass got into his eyes.

The shop owner, Mr Samsuddin Patel, said that the incident had affected his shop financially as the money which the robbers fled with was supposed to pay some suppliers.

The spokesperson for the Siloam police, W/O Edzisani Tharaga, confirmed that the police have opened a case of armed robbery and assault.