There was action and drama at a Goodwood winkel as two armed men held staff captive for over an hour on Wednesday morning.
Cops say at about 8.20am, the robbers entered the Goodwood Friendly Market on Voortrekker Road, but thanks to the quick response of members of the public and the employees, the alarm was raised and the suspects were arrested in quick succession.
However, there was a shocking twist when it emerged that a third skelm was apparently trapped inside the store, but police say this information turned out to be false.
The drama came to an end shortly before 10am after the Special Task Force was called in.
Videos taken by mense at the scene showed a group of Task Force members in camouflage gear entering the store to look for the third suspect.
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut said: “At around 8.20am, the armed suspects held the owners of a shop situated in Voortrekker Road at gunpoint.
“One of the suspects fled when they were disturbed by someone who raised the alarm, but was apprehended by the public.
“SAPS members attached to Goodwood Police Station arrived on the scene and arrested a second suspect.
“There was, however, reason to believe that a third suspect was still trapped in the shop and the Special Task Force was summoned to the scene.
“After the building was tactically penetrated, it was established that the two suspects were alone.
“The firearm used by the suspects was discovered hidden inside the shop and seized.
“An Ethiopian male, 35, and a Zimbabwean male, 29, are expected to make their court appearance in Goodwood Magistrates’ Court once they have been charged.”
When the Daily Voice visited the scene, the owners were still visibly upset and shaken by the ordeal.
Shop owner Tahir Mohammed told the Daily Voice: “The guys came in here waving the guns at all of us but people ran out and went to call the police.
“We were five people in the shop and we were all scared because the one man was showing the gun in all of our faces.
“When the police came, they arrested him and then they said there was another man in the shop so we stayed down on the floor because we did not know if it was true or not.
“It was scary when the guys and the army (Task Force) came in but we glad nobody was hurt.”