Skelms stormed a church in Century City on Monday and robbed staff during a staged delivery.
According to a source, shortly before noon, two men dressed in black jeans and black T-shirts arrived at the back of the Hillsong United Church and told the security guard they were making a delivery.
“The minute they got inside, the one guy held the security guard at gunpoint while the other one tied him up,” says the source.
“The two men went to the area where the three women were working and robbed them of their cellphones and other valuables.
“They then took all four to a room where they locked them up.”
The source says one of them pressed a panic button, alerting security companies and police.
PRECAUTIONS: Sniper on the roof. Photo: Monique Duval
When Daily Voice arrived on the site shortly after noon, a large number of police could be seen outside the building and traffic cops blocked off the roads around the building.
According to a witness, three women ran out of the building just before police arrived.
By that time, the security guard had managed to free the panicked women, who ran to a nearby building for help.
“They got out and when the police arrived, it was not clear if the robbers were still inside, so they had to follow protocol and that is why people thought it was a hostage situation,” says the source.
“After the K9 unit and the Flying Squad checked the building and established that the robbers were not inside, they checked the footage which showed the robbers escaped on foot shortly before the police arrived.
“The staff were traumatised but were not hurt in the incident.”
Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms the incident and says: “According to information, two men, one armed entered the church and robbed the people inside of their cellphones. Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation with no arrests so far.”