Man robbed after withdrawing large sum of cash

DURBAN: A man sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, after he was robbed by an armed gang at a Durban shopping mall this morning.

Emer-G-Med spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said paramedics responded to reports of a shooting at the shopping centre.

“On arrival at the scene, a 34-year-old male patient was found to have sustained a single low caliber gunshot wound to his right leg. He was treated and stabilised on scene, before being taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for further care,” Van Reenen said.

He said reports from the scene allege the man was accosted by two armed suspects, after leaving a banking facility, and a confrontation ensued, resulting in the shooting.

Known as “knocking” these types of robberies typically occur just minutes after a person has made a large withdrawal at a bank or ATM.

In March last year, a man was shot when he was robbed after withdrawing money from a bank in Lotus Park, in Isipingo.

The man sustained three gunshot wounds, after he reportedly resisted and refused to hand over the cash to his attackers.

At the time, police said the suspects managed to grab the loot and sped off in their getaway vehicle – a white Ford Figo.

It is suspected that the gang followed the man from the bank and robbed him as he arrived at home. A relative said the money was going to be used to purchase land, where the family could perform their traditional ceremonies.

The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) has urged people not to move around with large sums of money.

In 2020, SABRIC said at least 711 knocking incidents were reported in the country.

“It is shocking that bank clients, who are the victims of these crimes, are killed and injured during these robberies. This is why we encourage bank customers to find safer ways to transact instead of carrying large amounts of cash,” the Centre said.

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