Ominous Turn of Events: Pick n Pay Store Endures Robbery a Day Before Founder Raymond Ackerman Dies
The unfolding scenario sends shivers down the spine.
A Pick n Pay store located in Kensington, Johannesburg, encountered a harrowing robbery just one day before the death of its founder, Raymond Ackerman.
ALSO READ: South Africa Mourns the Loss of Pick n Pay Icon: Raymond Ackerman Dies at 92
The Bold Pick n Pay Robbery
Under the cover of darkness on September 6, 2023, a group of heavily armed criminals forcefully entered the store situated at Darras Centre in Kensington, Johannesburg.
A video capturing the incident circulated widely online, revealing a customer who unwittingly walked into the midst of this frightening robbery. The assailants fired shots to instil fear among shoppers and staff, systematically looting the establishment of cash and electronic devices.
ALSO READ: Caught on Live Stream: Daring Armed Robbers Ambush Durban Church During Worship Service
The individual recording the video explained that he had initially strolled into the store, unaware of the unfolding crime. He went on to describe how the robbers directed him to lie down with the other patrons, and he surreptitiously placed his phone in a shopping cart.
After the traumatic incident, he retrieved his phone and documented the aftermath of the robbery. As he walked around the store, he revealed anxious shoppers taking refuge on the floor throughout the Pick n Pay aisles, fearing for their lives amidst this violent incident.
Only as he moved about the premises did people begin to realise that the robbery ended, prompting some to cautiously rise and depart, leaving groceries strewn across the floor in their haste.
Recollection of the Shocking Ordeal
The eyewitness shared his account, stating:
“As you can see here, Pick n Pay just got robbed. I just walked into a robbery. They took all the cash. Everyone here is hiding. They shot five times. All the money, everything is gone. They took everybody’s money. South Africa is no more safe.”
During the robbery, the armed criminals targeted the security guard, disarming him and seizing his cell phone.
Pick n pay Robbery: Darras Centre, Kensington, JHB, yesterday pic.twitter.com/ENw5rUfyEq
— Vehicle Trackers (@VehicleTrackerz) September 7, 2023
Robbery Occurs Shortly Before the Passing of Pick n Pay Founder Raymond Ackerman
This audacious heist unfolded mere hours before the founder of Pick n Pay, Raymond Ackerman, breathed his last. The billionaire entrepreneur passed away on September 7, 2023, at the age of 92.
ALSO READ: In Memory Of Raymond Ackerman: Navigating His Entrepreneurial Journey and Multibillion-Rand Wealth