R50 000 reward for China Town killers
The China Town Trust in Cape Town has offered a R50 000 reward for information after an elderly man was killed in his store.
|||Cape Town - The China Town Trust has beefed up security at its business complex in Ottery by employing a dedicated tactical response team at the site and offering a R50 000 reward for any information about the incident in which a 73-year-old business owner was shot dead.
He has now been identified as Bin Jiang by legal consultants Noel Pratten and Associates.
Two “highly skilled operatives” and a tactical response vehicle have been added to the security team at the shopping complex after four armed men stormed Bin’s business during an armed robbery on September 20. Soon afterwards, the men fled in a white Opel Corsa bakkie that they had hijacked at gunpoint.
The robbery came just days after Trigg Jewellers in Cavendish Square was robbed of “exclusive watches” by armed suspects.
Police spokesman André Traut said the investigation into Bin’s death had not been concluded.
Images captured on CCTV footage of the four suspects linked to the incident is circulating on social media in a bid to help police identify the men.
The dramatic images depict a tense stand-off between the armed men and Bin. One of the images shows one of the men, in a red beanie and brown hooded top, reaching for a gun tucked inside his jacket pocket.
The trustee of the China Town Trust, Pierre Steenkamp, said the trust - that owns two other China Town shopping complexes in Sable Square, Century City, and at the Shoprite Centre in Voortrekker Road - was “doing all it could” to assist police in their investigation by making photos available of the suspects and offering a reward of up to R50 000 for any information leading to the successful apprehension and conviction of the armed men.
He said all the retail areas owned by the trust were secure and operational with stores trading as usual. “We have conducted a risk assessment and have subsequently improved our security at the Ottery complex, which now includes a dedicated tactical response vehicle with two highly skilled operatives during trading hours.”
He said the trust was engaging with its respective landlords to implement the same security measures at its other centres.
“We wish to thank our tenants, shoppers and the public for their support and co-operation during this very difficult time for us and the entire Chinese community. We offer our sincere condolences to the Bin family,” he said.
Steenkamp added that the trust was also engaging with a specialist management company to ensure that excess cash was secured by means of a drop safe similar to petrol stations.
gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus
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