Ice-cream shop in hot water
2005-12-14
ASSISTANTS at Gatti’s ice-cream shop in central Paarl were attacked by armed robbers who seized R100 000 at opening time on Monday.
That was the third time in as many years that the popular ice-cream firm in Castle Street has been the target of armed robbers.
“It is always a terrifying experience,” the stricken manager, Enus Rawoot, said shortly after the incident.
“It was just after half past eight and I was at the side door when two men suddenly appeared from behind the building,” a still shaken assistant, Kobus Ehlers, said.
“They pushed pistols into my face. And then there were four of them. They were cruel, throwing bricks at us. The men pushed me into the shop.”
Rawoot was behind the counter when the robbers seized him and dragged him to the storeroom where his wife, son and the three shop assistants were busy, still unaware of the drama.
“We were made to lie on the floor, where the men tied our hands,” Rawoot recalled.
He inched his hand towards the panic button which he kept hidden in his clothes, and managed to alert the authorities.
“But by that time the robbers had already emptied the cash registers and had searched our pockets for keys, more money and cellphones.”
The robbers unlocked the safe and disappeared with R100 000, the weekend’s takings.
Police are investigating the possibility that a man from Mbekweni, whose employ had been terminated recently, might be linked to the robbers.
He was allegedly seen at the gate to the premises earlier that morning.
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