Praise for man who 'defused' bank bomb drama in Pretoria

A security manager who struck up a casual conversation with a man threatening to blow up a Pretoria bank on Tuesday has been applauded for the way he and his team handed the situation.

The 50-year-old man handed a teller a note at around 11:20am indicating that a bomb had been planted inside the bank at the Menlyn Maine shopping centre.

Fidelity Services Group said in a statement on Wednesday that its site manager Nico Vermeulen and his team had “managed a volatile situation” as the drama unfolded.

The cashier played along but subtly pressed a panic button.

Vermeulen entered the bank, pretending to be a customer, and quietly joined a queue leading to the teller who triggered the alarm.

“Once in the queue, he struck up a casual conversation with the alleged suspect. Vermeulen says he was concerned because the suspect was holding a remote control purportedly linked to the explosive device,” Fidelity said in a statement.

“While he was engaging with the suspect, the Fidelity Security team outside began gathering and evacuating patrons from the surrounding area to ensure the public’s safety.”

“They followed all safety protocols without creating chaos or alarm which could have negatively impacted on what was going on in the bank at the time. It was quickly and tactfully done and fortunately was uneventful as the public co-operated,” said Wahl Bartmann, Group CEO of Fidelity Services Group.

Shortly afterwards the banks shift supervisor and two police officers entered the bank, the suspect was searched and a loaded gun was discovered in an ankle holster.

A police sniffer dog reacted positively to the “bomb” indicating the possible presence of explosive residue but the device was later found not to be a bomb.

Police spokesperson Capt Colette Weilbach said earlier that the "device" that the dog reacted to had been sprinkled with gunpowder.

“We are extremely proud of the way in which Vermeulen and the team responded and handled the situation. They ensured that all parties remained calm and prevented panic from breaking out,” said Bartmann.