A late-night armed robbery rocked the Bryanston Methodist Church in South Africa on Monday, October 27, when 12 gunmen stormed the premises, overpowered security guards, and broke into the church’s vault, escaping with an undisclosed amount of cash.
In a statement to its congregation, the church revealed that the attack occurred shortly after 10 p.m., when the armed men arrived in three vehicles. They reportedly threatened the guards, gained entry to the church’s lower office block, and stole several valuables before disabling the alarm system.
“They then proceeded to break into the vault area using heavy tools such as angle grinders and jackhammers,” the church said. “Several safes were damaged, and an undisclosed sum of money was taken, including one entire safe.”
The robbers remained on the premises for more than three hours before fleeing the scene. Police were notified immediately and have since launched a full-scale investigation into the incident.
Church leaders confirmed that no one was physically harmed, expressing gratitude for “God’s protection” over those present. They added that counselling and emotional support were being provided to affected staff and security personnel.
Despite the ordeal, church officials said that all ministries and services would continue as scheduled, but urged members to switch to electronic giving methods such as EFT, SnapScan, or card payments to reduce cash handling on-site.
The Bryanston robbery is the latest in a spate of violent attacks on churches across South Africa in recent months.
In July, nine worshippers — including a pastor and church elders — were held at gunpoint during an evening meeting in Mpumalanga, with assailants stealing phones, laptops, and car keys. A month later, MEC for Community Safety Jackie Macie urged churches to tighten security following three separate armed attacks in one week.
More recently, in September, two gunmen disrupted a prayer service at Zayoni Kingdom Catholic Church in Waterloo, north of Durban, where about 60 congregants were robbed at gunpoint. The suspects, dressed in black, reportedly made off with 46 mobile phones.
Authorities continue to investigate the Bryanston incident and have warned religious institutions to remain vigilant, as armed robberies targeting churches appear to be on the rise nationwide.
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