What promised to be a relaxing day for a few local women, at a beauty parlour on Bengal Street last Friday (January 26), turned into an absolute nightmare when three armed thugs stormed into the Sumera Beauty Salon at the HS Ebrahim Centre.
The owner, Sumera Osman, confirmed that the robbery had taken place, adding that fortunately, no one was hurt. The brazen criminals forced the owner, her employees and all her customers to lie on the floor, before they looted the store for valuables. After grabbing all they could, including a cellphone, the thugs made their escape, but only two managed to make it to the getaway car. Their accomplice remained behind, with the intention of raiding the salon for more valuables.
Upon noticing the two suspicious characters fleeing hastily, a security guard rushed to the scene where he encountered the remaining thug. The guard forced the thug back into the salon and locked the door, calling for back-up thereafter.
The thug was subsequently apprehended by police. Eyewitness, Omar Mussa, told the Laudium Sun that he had seen the thugs had been walking with a woman.
"I didn't know what was happening until the fleeing thugs almost reversed into another car. Hearing all the commotion, I went to see what was going on. When I got there, they were yelling at the guy behind them to move his car. By the time the obstructing car actually moved, the lady from the beauty salon came screaming for help," Mussa said.
Another owner of a store close to the salon told the Laudium Sun that the brazen thugs had tried to rob him too. "They came into my shop and were asking unnecessary questions but because there were many people around, they walked away. When I saw the one who was caught, I realised that they were in my shop earlier that day. Fortunately enough, I have CCTV cameras installed in my store," he said.
When the Laudium Sun approached Liaqat HS Ebrahim, the owner of the centre, concerning beefing up security at the centre, he refused to comment.
Sumera Salon at HS Ebrahim Centre on Bengal Street, where armed robbers held the owner, staff and customers at gun point..
The apprehended suspect implicated in the armed robbery