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World Cup security fear
Journalists robbed at gunpoint
June 9, 2010
By Soccernet staff
Three foreign World Cup journalists were robbed at gunpoint early on Wednesday morning, according to South African police.
Portuguese photographer Antonio Simoes was woken at 04.00 BST by two men entering his room at the Nutbush Boma Lodge outside of Magaliesburg and two other reporters were also robbed at the same hotel.
"One of the guys pointed a hand gun at my head, and then they took all my gear - cameras, lenses, laptop," Simoes said. "Then they told me to lie on the bed and they covered me with a blanket, pressed the gun against my head and told me to sleep.
"The whole thing took one or two minutes, but it felt like hours."
Police spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said the authorities had good leads and hoped to make an arrest soon but added that the lodge where the journalists were staying would have to "jack up" its security.
The other victims, a Spaniard and Portuguese journalist Antonio Fimoes, also escaped their ordeal unhurt.
Fimoes said: "I was the only one to wake up when the robbers came into the room. One of them had a pistol and pointed it at my head and told me to shut up while the other one rummaged through our things. They got away with some money, passports, photographic material and clothing."
About 350,000 people are expected to visit South Africa, which has have enlisted thousands of specially trained police to deal with fans' safety.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-c...888&ver=global
Journalists robbed at gunpoint
June 9, 2010
By Soccernet staff
Three foreign World Cup journalists were robbed at gunpoint early on Wednesday morning, according to South African police.
Portuguese photographer Antonio Simoes was woken at 04.00 BST by two men entering his room at the Nutbush Boma Lodge outside of Magaliesburg and two other reporters were also robbed at the same hotel.
"One of the guys pointed a hand gun at my head, and then they took all my gear - cameras, lenses, laptop," Simoes said. "Then they told me to lie on the bed and they covered me with a blanket, pressed the gun against my head and told me to sleep.
"The whole thing took one or two minutes, but it felt like hours."
Police spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said the authorities had good leads and hoped to make an arrest soon but added that the lodge where the journalists were staying would have to "jack up" its security.
The other victims, a Spaniard and Portuguese journalist Antonio Fimoes, also escaped their ordeal unhurt.
Fimoes said: "I was the only one to wake up when the robbers came into the room. One of them had a pistol and pointed it at my head and told me to shut up while the other one rummaged through our things. They got away with some money, passports, photographic material and clothing."
About 350,000 people are expected to visit South Africa, which has have enlisted thousands of specially trained police to deal with fans' safety.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-c...888&ver=global
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