Florida liquor store looted during extended lockdown
Among the large quantity of various types of liquor they had stolen were whiskey, vodka and brandy.
With the ban on alcohol sales during the Covid-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown, more and more liquor stores are being targeted by criminals.
The latest one to be added to the statistics is the Pick n Pay liquor store in Flora Centre.
According to Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, the National Police spokesperson, the incident happened at 7.30pm yesterday, 7 May.
“A group of people, pretending to be looking for an ATM, approached the staff of the Pick n Pay grocery store in the centre. One of them then produced a firearm and took the manager and his colleagues to another entrance where they found that a glass door had been broken. They were then taken to the first floor, where approximately 10 males were busy breaking the glass door of the liquor store.
The thugs told them to lie on the floor while they stole the liquor store’s stock, which they loaded into a shopping trolley and took to their getaway vehicle, a white Toyota Etios. Among the large quantity of various types of liquor they had stolen were whiskey, vodka and brandy. The value of the stolen liquor is unknown at this stage,” Naidoo said.
He added that only one of the robbers was armed with a firearm, and that no injuries were sustained during the robbery.
Naidoo urged the community to contact the police should they have seen anything or have any information. “Informers may call 086 00 10111 or provide tip-offs via the My SAPS app.”
