Durban - A gang of 10 armed suspects robbed a liquor distribution business in Phoenix on Sunday.
Security company, Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said they received reports of a robbery just after 2pm.
Balram said when reaction officers arrived on the scene, they were informed that the suspects drove onto the premises in a white Ford Ranger double-cab bakkie with an unknown registration and held up employees.
“Six suspects armed with high calibre weapons remained in the yard and at the entrance of the driveway while their accomplices confronted staff in the cash office,” he said.
He said the suspects stole a large undisclosed amount of cash before they attempted to blow up a safe with explosives.
According to Balram, the robbers fled after the explosives failed to detonate.
He said there were no reported injuries.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said the complainant alleged that at 1.40pm, he was at his business premises in Phoenix when they were accosted by armed suspects.
“At gunpoint the suspects took liquor, cash and fled the scene,” she said.
A case of robbery was opened at Phoenix police station for investigation.
In a separate incident, The Mercury reported on Sunday that members of the Beitbridge Task Team, who guard the border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe, arrested two suspects with explosives during a stop-and-search operation along on N1 between Musina and Beitbridge on Friday.
Police said during the stop-and-search, the team pulled over a blue Toyota Corolla sedan.
“Upon searching the vehicle, the members found four bags in the boot of the car containing 247 blasting cartridges, 1 250 connector capped fuses and seven reels of detonating cords,” they said.