Three months after armed robbers stormed the Marco Paulo restaurant, the men responsible are behind bars.
|||Durban - When armed robbers - who were some of the province’s most wanted criminals - decided to hit Mount Edgecombe’s Marco Paulo restaurant a few months ago, they made a big mistake.
One of the patrons at the restaurant that night was Enforce Security director Anthony Feuilherade, who recognised two of the robbers and subsequently set his team of investigators to search for the gang.
Headed by Enforce head of investigation Nico Potgieter the team joined forces with an Inanda police task team and the two groups worked around the clock.
Three months after the robbery, the men responsible for terrorising Durban were put behind bars.
Feuilherade said he was fortunate that he was able to identify two of the suspects during the robbery as they were being sought by the security company in connection with other robberies.
The AK-47-wielding gang had stormed the eatery in April and robbed patrons and staff of their wallets, cellphones and jewellery. No shots were fired during the three-minute robbery, but restaurant co-owner Paul Sheppard was pistol-whipped.
Potgieter described the gang as dangerous, saying they had robbed several businesses in and around Durban.
“There was so much commitment from everyone involved and having the two forces working together certainly helped in tracking down the gang,” said Potgieter.
The remaining six members of the 16-man gang were arrested last week in KwaMashu after a tip-off.
The suspects, aged between 19 and 43, have been linked to 20 armed robberies and murders.
Four of the gang members were arrested in Hammarsdale three weeks ago, after committing 11 armed robberies in less than 12 hours.
Five other gang members were arrested last month at the KwaMashu Men’s Hostel, Hammarsdale and Clermont.
Independent on Saturday
