In and out in 22 seconds — Gqeberha heist points to laptop theft syndicate

About 22 seconds – that’s the time it took for three armed robbers to hold up seven customers in a Gqeberha coffee shop in a brazen daylight robbery, just a day after acting police minister Firoz Cachalia met privately with city stakeholders who raised urgent concerns about the impact of rising crime on investment and economic confidence in the metro.

What played out inside Stir Coffee Co in Walmer on Thursday, 9 April may have lasted less than 30 seconds, but for those caught in it, the shock is likely to linger for far longer.

A senior employee, who asked not to be named, told Daily Maverick on Friday, 10 April, that although footage of the robbery had circulated widely, he had been overwhelmed to see customers returning – including those who had been targeted – and the outpouring of support.

When Daily Maverick visited the coffee shop on Friday afternoon, some customers were chatting to each other, while others were quietly working.

“This is the first incident of this kind that has happened here and has shaken our community. But it is actually really nice to see people coming in today – including people whose stuff got stolen – actually being back at the coffee shop and just chatting about what happened,” the employee, who witnessed the robbery, said.

Robbery carried out by a ‘well oiled machine’

In video footage of the robbery, seven customers are seen inside the coffee shop working on their laptops, while an employee stands behind the counter.

Moments later, three men with their faces covered enter the premises, gesturing and appearing to instruct customers to lie down. One positions himself at the glass sliding door, seemingly standing guard, while the other two move with striking precision – almost choreographed – directly towards customers’ laptops.

The suspects appear to target laptops exclusively, seemingly ignoring other valuables such as cellphones, headphones, car keys, handbags and wallets.

One customer seated at a wall counter reacts quickly, concealing a laptop behind an object. Another person seated at the bottom left of the surveillance camera attempts to hold back their laptop, but the robber takes it nevertheless.

Within moments, the robbers flee the scene with the same speed at which they entered. As the thieves leave the shop, some customers run after them – possibly to identify the getaway car – while others slip out by a side door and others start making phone calls.

Private investigator Mike Bolhuis, who viewed the footage, says the robbery was highly coordinated. While he cannot say with certainty, he believes it bears all the hallmarks of a organised criminal syndicate targeting electronic devices.

Bolhuis described the robbers as “a well-oiled machine” who appear to have planned their robbery well, given they completed it within about 20 seconds.

“It seems to me that they know the place. At least one of them, likely the leader, is standing guard at the door. There is leadership and control; that’s why it happens so quickly,” Bolhuis said.

“There is no uncertainty, there is no fear, and there is no violence that they apply here. They are at ease and calm and they are out the door after 20 seconds.

“The place is very empty, and they knew when to come, so they very likely watched the place and struck at the right time,” he said.

A moment staff had prepared for

Recounting the robbery, the employee said he “definitely” sensed something was wrong the moment the suspects walked in.

“I dropped down and then as soon as I was aware of what’s happening, I took my phone out and chucked it somewhere around the counter where they would not get to it,” he said.

He then made his way out through a back fire escape to seek help.

“The robbery was so quick, the guys were in and out. By the time I got back, they had gone, and security started coming.”

According to the employee, staff had previously discussed how they would respond in such a situation.

He said staff had previously discussed among themselves what they would do should they find themselves in a situation like the one that unfolded on Thursday.

“We live in South Africa and crime happens all the time. In the past there have been some suspicious guys. So immediately when you hear the shouting and see their faces covered, you know what’s happening.”

Inside the shop, the suspects shouted at customers, ordering them to keep their heads down and hand over their laptops, the employee said.

“I can’t describe the feeling necessarily, but obviously it’s shock. I was still thinking straight and looking for the panic button.

“Only in retrospect we saw on cameras that they had – about 15 to 20 minutes beforehand – drove past and then drove back again. So in a sense, it was targeted. They knew what was going on. They knew who was inside.”

The shop closed for the remainder of the day following the robbery.

Prayers and an outpouring of support

“People are shaken. It was traumatic for them,” the employee said. He added that the experience had resurfaced past trauma from a previous robbery.

“I’ve been asked a lot how I am doing by people who have seen the video, but I am strong in the Lord. Even this morning, starting the day praying that the Lord would keep us strong,” the employee said.

While acknowledging that the full psychological impact may still unfold, he added: “Everything is still new and you don’t know what the trauma effect is going to have. But I can easily say I’m fine now.”

Always stay calm and comply

While the incident may appear controlled and non-violent, Bolhuis cautioned that such robberies in South Africa often escalate unpredictably.

“The best advice would be to do absolutely nothing and to give your full cooperation. If you are really well trained and you know how to approach the robbers and deal with them and you are armed yourself and you see the possibility, you can do it and take action.”

Bolhuis also highlighted the legal risks associated with armed self-defence, warning that even justified actions can carry serious consequences.

“You may shoot in such a case, especially if you are under the impression that people’s lives are in danger. You cannot necessarily shoot someone dead, but you have the right to defend your premises. You have to weigh it against the consequences that it can have: if you shoot the person dead, you can be charged with murder,” he said.

Police spokesperson captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed Walmer SAPS have opened a case of business robbery.

She said one complainant was robbed of a MacBook Air (2023 model), while a second victim, an adult female, was robbed of a 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021 model). Several other laptops belonging to customers were also taken during the robbery.

The suspects fled the scene in a Hyundai i10. DM