Toy gun used in salon hostage drama

A toy gun was used in an eight hour hostage drama at a salon in Vanderbijlpark, Vaal Rand police said today. "The gun he used to take seven people hostage was not real," said William Mcera, a police captain. The man held seven people hostage to the interior of the salon in Attie Fourie Street from 4pm yesterday until 2am this morning. From the information the police received, they were under the impression that the gun was real."We were convinced that the suspect was a threat to the life of Lydia Jacobs, the last hostage, after he demanded that a car be brought to the door of the salon, all indications were that he was going to take the woman with him and police could not risk that," said Mcera.Police then fired a shot and the hostage taker was killed. Mcera said the man was a about 21 or 22 years old. His identity could not be released immediately. The motive for the hostage was not known. "It was seemingly a robbery," Mcera said. He said police had already given the man part of the R50 000 he had demanded. It was obtained from the safe in the salon.The drama started at 4.15pm yesterday when what witnesses described as a cross dresser produced a firearm and took the owner of the salon in Attie Fourie Street, Merle Scheepers, and six other people hostage. He demanded a ransom of R50 000 and a car. He subsequently released Scheepers and five other hostages, retaining one.Cross dresser was knownPolice task force members and hostage negotiators earlier descended on the cordoned-off area, George Scheepers' husband said: "He asked for the keys to the safe. I think it is an inside job." Merle Scheepers recognised her captor as a robber who had held her at gunpoint in the salon and demanded money, jewellery and cell phones on May 24, he said. Two women on the scene recognised the man as one in pictures police circulated after the previous robbery."The police showed us photos of him then and today he was walking through the corridor dressed in women's clothing with big sunglasses on," said a woman who refused to be named. She said the man was "trying to walk like a woman." A woman who answered the phone in the salon said she was "very scared. "He is holding a gun to us." The woman said as she was answering the phone to speak to the police. Fearing for the life of the last hostage, police shot and killed the man around 2am today, bringing to an end the eight-hour hostage drama. "It's over, he is no longer," said Mcera. All the hostages were safe, he said. The interior of Merle's Hair Boutique looked a mess as police quickly placed a white sheet across the front door, blocking onlookers' viewA crowd gathered outside the salon behind police lines watching as the hostage drama drew to a close. Jacobs was the last person to see the hostage taker alive. She was a customer who was the last hostage and her condition was described, however, she was too shaken to speak to the media. - Sapa