A suspect is fighting for his life in hospital under police guard after being injured in a shoot-out during one of three business robberies that took place on Sunday.
During one of the robberies, the suspect was shot in the upper body when he and three of his accomplices were leaving a warehouse company on Maple Road, Pomona, after robbing it of a large amount of goods on Sunday night.
This would be the last of the three robberies in the same day.
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The first robbery took place in the morning at about 8.10am at Take-A-Lot Warehouse in Bredell, where a female security guard was ambushed by an unknown number of men in a white Quantum minibus.
The men tied her hands and feet before stealing valuables such as watches and laptops.
In the second incident, a large amount of electrical appliances such as washing machines, microwaves, plasma televisions and sound systems were allegedly stolen by more than 10 men from City Couriers on Maple Road in Pomona at about 1.50pm. A security guard and an employee of the courier company were ambushed by the men while opening the gates.
Various posts were published on social media, including Twitter and Facebook, regarding the incidents.
During the City Courier robbery, it was reported that about 18 perpetrators in a white Quantum minibus taxi and an eight ton truck invaded the business, and another eight ton truck was allegedly involved in the robbery at Take-A-Lot Warehouse. Forty boxes of LG products were allegedly stolen from City Couriers.
Kempton SAPS spokesperson Capt Jethro Mtshali confirmed that about four suspects were arrested in connection with the last armed robbery of a warehouse on Maple Road, where a suspect was shot and injured.
“It is alleged that the suspect had earlier approached one of the security guards working at the company and promised to give him a cut of the deal as the suspect was planning to rob the business,” Mtshali said.
“The security guard pretended to agree to the planned robbery but later informed his manager of the planned robbery.”
The suspects came back later that day as planned and allegedly proceeded to rob the company of a large amount of tyres.
“As they left the company, a shoot-out ensued between the suspects and the security guard, which resulted in one of the suspects being shot,” said Mtshali.
He was taken to hospital where he is being treated under police surveillance.
So far, the only suspects police have managed to arrest are the ones in the third robbery, aged 38, 41 and 43.
They suspects will appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of business robbery.
Cases of business robberies are currently under investigation and police appeal to anyone with information to contact them on 08600-10111 or SMS to 32211.
