Masked men brandish knives, steal cash

Kelera Tinasala, a cashier at Alison Supermarket in Laucala Beach, Suva, is still in shock after two armed thieves threatened her and shoppers with cane knives yesterday morning.

Ms Tinasala, had reported for work as usual, not expecting such a terrifying incident, especially in broad daylight.

Two men entered a supermarket around 10am, brandishing cane knives and immediately demanded the handbags of two women.

“I’ve seen robberies like this in movies, but I never expected to witness one firsthand,” Ms Tinasala said.

“Two women were queuing at the butcher corner waiting for their meat to be sliced. Then in an instant, the two masked men barged in and began attacking them.

“We later learned they each had large sums of money in their bags,” she said.

“After taking the handbags they then forced me to open the cash till. One of then demanded that I open my till and also took money from it.

“The two women later said that they were carrying $23,000 cash between them.”

Ms Tinasala has been working at the supermarket for two years.

She said that the robbers were part of a three-man team; two had entered the store while the third remained outside in a taxi.

She saw the three men forcibly shove the taxi driver into the trunk before fleeing the scene.

“It was a terrifying experience for all of us,” Ms Tinasala recalled.

“It was a life-threatening situation; I memorised the taxi number plate and gave it to the police.

“We were later told that the taxi was found abandoned with the driver still in the trunk.”

Arrested
Last night, police stated that three men were in custody for their alleged involvement in an aggravated robbery.

Police have yet to confirm the total amount of money stolen by the masked men.

They said the taxi used in the alleged robbery was found abandoned in Tacirua Heights shortly after 11am yesterday. Investigations are ongoing.

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