Journalist held up at gunpoint, 2 others robbed

A Portuguese photographer was held up at gunpoint early Wednesday while two other journalists were also robbed at the same World Cup hotel.

Spanish journalist Miguel Serrano told The Associated Press that photographer Antonio Simoes was held down in his bed for 30 minutes while two thieves stole camera equipment worth $35,000 (euro29,000) early Wednesday at the Nutbush Boma Lodge in Magaliesburg, 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

"Imagine. It was absolutely terrifying for him with a gun in his face. They were shouting: 'Sleep! Sleep!"' said Serrano, who works for Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

Serrano said Simoes lay traumatized for 90 minutes before being able to alert his colleague. Serrano and a third journalist, Rui Gustavo Morais, then discovered they had also been robbed as they slept. The three were sharing a three-bedroom lodge.

Serrano said Simoes was talking to police and a psychologist and was not able to talk to reporters.

Lt. Col. Leon Engelbrecht of the South African Police Service confirmed that police were looking for two suspects, but would not say whether any arrests had been made. Serrano said police had told him one suspect had already been arrested.

"Two of the journalists slept through the robbery, but one was awake," Engelbrecht said. "The suspects threw a blanket over him and then held a gun to his head. ... This is obviously high-profile, so we have to make sure we are on top of this. We are still waiting for detailed information from the scene."

The remote four-star lodge is just 12 miles (15 kilometers) from the Portugal team's base camp.

Serrano said it had been cordoned off by police, who had also conducted fingerprint tests in the rooms.

Serrano said about 20 journalists covering the Portugal team are staying at the Nutbush, and that they had previously raised concerns about hotel safety.

"We had already complained to the Portuguese federation that the security left a lot to be desired," Serrano said, "but we never thought that something like this would happen."

Serrano said he slept while his room was cleared out by the thieves, who took a laptop computer, a cell phone and more than $3,000 in cash - in both Euros and South African rand.

"They took everything expect my dirty clothes and my World Cup accreditation," he said.

Hotel officials said they would not comment on the incident.