THE MERCURY
A gang of at least 10 gunmen, some wielding AK-47s, held up staff and patrons at Mount Edgecombes exclusive Marco Paulo restaurant. Photo: Shelley Kjonstad
Durban – Restaurants needed to increase visible security to avoid becoming targets of thieves, and the cost of this private security was likely to be carried by customers, Gerhard Patzer, the chairman of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa’s (Fedhasa’s) east coast region, said on Monday.
He was responding to news of the robbery of the upmarket Mount Edgecombe restaurant Marco Paulo at the weekend when a gang, some with AK-47s, robbed diners and assaulted one of the owners.
However, Patzer
did not expect a drop in the restaurant’s popularity.
“People generally forget about these incidents quite quickly,” he said, “But it is important that the owners increase visible security.”
Fedhasa would bring up the issue at its next meeting with the eThekwini Municipality.
Enforce Security investigators were confident those responsible would be caught.
The head of the security company’s investigations unit, Nico Potgieter, said the team was making “good progress”.
He was aware of at least two other Durban restaurants that had been held up recently.
Mama Luciana’s in La Lucia was robbed late last year.
Manager Steve Watson said three or four men walked in late at night, but security staff intervened and the men made off with only a few valuables.
“We already had iCams (remote video surveillance) and alarm systems installed,” he said, “But we did change some of our habits.”
The New Germany KFC outlet was held up in October and policeman Ajith Krishinlall was killed in a shoot-out with robbers outside the franchise.
Potgieter said restaurants were “soft targets”. “They know there will be patrons who will have valuables on them and sometimes there will also be cash,” he said.
Police spokesman Thulani Zwane said investigations were continuing, but no arrests had been made.
The Mercury
