Street Vendors Save the Day in Durban City Centre

Durban street vendors were the heroes of the day on Tuesday morning; they were able to thwart a getaway by armed suspects, after a robbery in the Durban’s city centre.
“The street vendors quickly sprang into action when they realised a crime had been committed. They chased after the suspects, as they fled the shop they had just robbed,” said Blue Security community and media liaison officer, Andreas Mathios.
“The incident began when three armed suspects, wielding firearms, entered the store in Field Street and demanded cash, cell phones and various clothing items,” Mathios said. “The staff were tied up with cable ties by the armed men,” he said.
“Thankfully, luck was not on the side of the suspects because as they fled the store, street vendors on the pavement gave chase. One suspect was apprehended and all the stolen items recovered, except for one cell phone,” he said. “The suspect was handed over to a Blue Security armed-response officer who had arrived after receiving notification of the robbery. He was detained until Durban Central SAPS members arrived,” he said.
In a separate armed robbery in New Germany on Tuesday morning a security guard was held up at gunpoint and robbed.
“A Blue Security armed-response officer reacted to a panic-alarm activation and arrived to find that the guard had been confronted by an armed suspect whilst on duty,” Mathios said.
“The guard was robbed of his watch and cell phone. It is believed that the suspect may have gained entry by jumping over the fence,” he said.
“Luckily no shots were fired and no-one was injured during the incident,” he said.
“A report has been made to SAPS by the victim,” he said.