News / Local
Man hides in fridge to ransack supermarket
26 Nov 2013 at 13:32hrs | Views
A daring thief allegedly hid inside a refrigerator at TM Supermarket's Bradfield branch in Bulawayo while staff locked up and went on to ransack the shop at night.
The man was reportedly later shot in the leg in the early hours of Monday morning as he tried to escape from the shop.
Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the incident but declined to comment.
"I can confirm police have arrested a suspect who was caught trying to rob a shop at Bradfield Shopping centre. However, I cannot give further comment because it might jeopardise investigations that are underway," said Insp Moyo.
Sources close to the story alleged the man, whose name was not given, hid in the shop on Sunday night.
"Soon after midnight, he cut through a safe that had no money in it. Security guards heard noise and thought someone was trying to break into the shop. They ran around the shopping complex trying to locate the where the noise was coming from but they could not," said the source.
The source said the man started cutting through a second safe, making more noise.
"The security guards, who were stationed outside the shops, ran around once more and failed to locate the source of the noise. The thief was unlucky again as there was no money in the safe. He then took a big suitcase that he had brought with him and started looting groceries in the shop, putting them into the bag. That is when the security guards saw him," said the source.
Another source said the guards called the police and their security company.
"They arrived and cordoned off the area. They saw the suspect dashing for cover in the shop. However, when they went inside, they could not find him. They searched for a number of hours. The suspect had made a hole in the ceiling and hid there. When he was seen, he tried to flee. He was shot in the leg and has been admitted to UBH (United Bulawayo Hospitals)," said the source.
Contacted for comment, the TM Bradfield branch manager, Mr Benson Khumalo declined to comment.
"I am not allowed to make any comments on behalf of the company," said Mr Khumalo.
The man was reportedly later shot in the leg in the early hours of Monday morning as he tried to escape from the shop.
Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the incident but declined to comment.
"I can confirm police have arrested a suspect who was caught trying to rob a shop at Bradfield Shopping centre. However, I cannot give further comment because it might jeopardise investigations that are underway," said Insp Moyo.
Sources close to the story alleged the man, whose name was not given, hid in the shop on Sunday night.
"Soon after midnight, he cut through a safe that had no money in it. Security guards heard noise and thought someone was trying to break into the shop. They ran around the shopping complex trying to locate the where the noise was coming from but they could not," said the source.
"The security guards, who were stationed outside the shops, ran around once more and failed to locate the source of the noise. The thief was unlucky again as there was no money in the safe. He then took a big suitcase that he had brought with him and started looting groceries in the shop, putting them into the bag. That is when the security guards saw him," said the source.
Another source said the guards called the police and their security company.
"They arrived and cordoned off the area. They saw the suspect dashing for cover in the shop. However, when they went inside, they could not find him. They searched for a number of hours. The suspect had made a hole in the ceiling and hid there. When he was seen, he tried to flee. He was shot in the leg and has been admitted to UBH (United Bulawayo Hospitals)," said the source.
Contacted for comment, the TM Bradfield branch manager, Mr Benson Khumalo declined to comment.
"I am not allowed to make any comments on behalf of the company," said Mr Khumalo.
Source - Byo23News
