“Bomb attack” on Shayandima ATM

The police cordoned off the scene where an attempt was made to blow up an ATM at Shayandima.

“Bomb attack” on Shayandima ATM

Those who heard the blast said it sounded like a big bomb, but it later emerged that a cash machine had been bombed.

That was the scene in Shayandima at Freddy’s Complex where an attempt was made to break into the FNB ATM that is housed at the complex. Scores of users at the weekend were left stranded, when the only machine at the complex was bombed. The incident happened on Friday evening at around 23:00.

This is not the first attempt at the machine. Two years ago, robbers made a fruitless attempt to rob the FNB ATM at the complex at the time. The robbers used a tractor loader backhoe (TLB) to break the machine, but left in a huff without laying their hands on the cash.

On Friday evening, suspected robbers struck again and this time around it is suspected that stun grenades were used to bomb the machine. They only managed to break the screen of the ATM and they could not reach the space where the money was kept. They fled empty-handed.

Neighbours to the complex that houses the ATM said they heard a loud bang at around 23:00. "We were busy watching movies at home when we heard this big blast. We thought it was the sound of a fire-arm, as we are used to that during weekends. We did not take it seriously but were just surprised to see many police at the complex. That was when we learnt that there had been an attempted robbery at the machine," said a woman who stays nearby.

Thohoyandou police spokesperson Lt Col Mashudu Malelo confirmed the incident. "We have opened a malicious-damage-to-property and so far no one has been arrested in connection with the case. We are making an appeal to the community out there who might have information to come forward, so that we can crack the case," he said.

Forensic experts and bomb unit members look for clues at the scene of the bombing.

Date:29 October 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

Read: 2886