The trio was apprehended last Wednesday in Emjindini.

According to Col Mtsholi Bhembe, Mpumalanga police spokesman, the three men have been positively linked with eight cases of business robbery which took place in the area in recent months.

Bhembe said the detective branch in Barberton had embarked on a tracing operation in search of the suspects responsible.

Read: Robbers return to scene of the crime just to be arrested

He said their hard work finally yielded positive results when it led to their arrest. They have been identified as Themba Khoza (25), Mthokozisi Dlamini (30) and Zethu Madlopha.

“The trio was positively linked with eight cases of business robbery. In all the incidents, the suspects are reported to have gone to business premises, pretended to be customers and in the process, held staff and owners at gunpoint then robbed them.

During the arrest, the trio was found in possession of two firearms, one of which was stolen from a police officer in Elukwatini during April. A profiling of the suspects to check their involvement in similar and other crimes is in process,” added Bhembe.

The men appeared in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court last Friday, facing eight counts of business robbery.

They are remanded in custody until tomorrow pending further investigation. During the past few months, there have been a number of businesses and house robberies occurring in the area.

Read also: People of Emjindini fed up with crime

One of the shops that was robbed is Funchal Supermarket. Two armed men were caught on CCTV holding up a cashier and raiding the cash register.

That video went viral after it was published on the Barberton Times website: Watch the video here

https://barbertontimes.co.za/247470/video-barberton-armed-robbery-caught-camera/