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Last week, a gang of around 40 people raided The Toy Shop, a luxury car dealership in Paarden Eiland, vandalising and damaging eight vehicles and assaulting an employee.

Western Cape police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said that the police had opened a case of business robbery and malicious property damage.

She also said that “the possibility that the incident is extortion related” could not be ruled out.

Rwexana was referring to the growing extortion racket that has been on the go on Long Street and in the CBD, allegedly extending to other parts of Cape Town.

So, when it came to light that the Toy Shop had previously employed a security company affiliated to alleged underworld boss Nafiz Modack, the plot thickened.

Randolf Jorberg, chairperson of the Long Street Association and owner of Beerhouse, said that many businesses in the area had been approached by Modack’s gang, asking for up to R20 000 a month in protection money. Failure to pay, said Jorberg, resulted in violence.

Modack, who was acquitted a year ago of extortion charges related to security contracts for Cape Town restaurants and nightclubs, denied these allegations.

He is also denying any affiliation with the attack on the Toy Shop, reports TimesLIVE.

Some background before we go into that.

Nearly four months ago, The Toy Shop moved to Paarden Eiland, from the CBD, at which point they terminated their contract with the Modack-affiliated security company, and employed PPA Security because it was closer to the new premises.

Toy Shop manager Marc Misdorp said that directly after the attack on his store, Modack was one of the first to call him to find out if he needed assistance.

 “Modack’s guys were great when we were in town but they couldn’t really assist you if anything happened. There was no panic button, you just phone them and then they pitch up but by then it’s usually too late.”

The Toy Shop’s panic buttons had not worked and PPA guards arrived after the attackers had left.

PPA boss Alwyn Landman said the company “did not have panic buttons at the dealership. “Our control room was contacted manually and told a robbery was in progress,” he said.

Confused? Me too.

Here’s a reminder of the damage that was done to the cars in the dealership:

There were also rumours that the incident was related to attempts to collect R18 million in debt from the dealership, but Misdorp says that they have no debt and that The Toy Shop is being confused with another incident relating to another company.

Modack responded to the allegations that he had anything to do with it.

“We’re friends with Marc but PPA is right next to him and he signed up with them,” he said.

“The anti-gang unit was quickly on this thing, saying, ‘Hey, it’s Modack.’ But it’s got nothing to do with me, I don’t have a problem with those guys.”

Further details of the attack on The Toy Shop have come to light since initial reports.

Apart from damaging the vehicles, the criminals made off with coffee machines, coffee beans, computers, microwaves, TVs, and other items in the store.

[source:timeslive]