According to Nelspruit SAPS spokesman, Capt Zandile Gqawa, the victim withdrew cash from a bank at Crossing Shopping Centre and was followed home by drivers in a black Audi.

“There were four suspects in the vehicle. When the complainant, accompanied by a friend, stopped at the house gate, the attackers pounced on them and threatened them with a firearm. They took an undisclosed amount of cash,”

she explained.

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The victim immediately called the police and followed the Audi in another one of his cars. He remained on the phone with the SAPS. The suspects returned to Crossing. Courtesy attendants from Crossing assisted the police during the chase.

According to Bigboy Masuku, one of the centre’s courtesy attendants, the black Audi sped past him in the parking lot. He also noticed the police helicopter, which had been dispatched.

His instincts told him to take action immediately.

“I was busy working when I saw a black vehicle driving very fast on my lane. My gut told me that something was not right.”

The Audi entered from Samora Machel Drive and seemed to be looking for an exit. “I then I saw a man pointing at the car and saying, ‘There they are’.” The police were nearby, also in the parking lot, and responded by driving towards the Audi.

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Masuku also started running towards the Audi. “I saw three men get out of the car. I wrote down the registration number on my hand.

The driver was trying to find the exit when Masuku saw a white vehicle reversing from a parking bay. “I asked the driver not to move.

He was worried, he could not understand why I stopped him, and I then said to him please just don’t move. When his vehicle was stationary, it blocked the lane which the suspects’ vehicle needed to exit. The driver had nowhere to go, and the police caught up with him and arrested him.”

They then started looking for the other three suspects and Masuku could remember what they were wearing.

“I took a few seconds and then I saw the one walking towards Madiba Drive. I showed the police officers and we followed. When we got close to him, he punched me in the face.

“He then started running across Madiba Drive. When we got to The Square police fired warning shots into the air. One grazed him and he slowed down and was arrested too.
“Some suspects fled the scene. I saw both men had a large amount of money on their person when the police arrested them,” said Masuku.

Gqawa confirmed that the arrests were made at around 11:00.

“The police recovered some cash, a nine-millimetre pistol with 50 live ammunition and a toy gun. The suspects were charged with armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm. The black Audi was also impounded.

SAPS are investigating the possibility that these suspects might be linked to other armed robbery cases with the same modus operandi. They appeared in Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday,” she said.

Anita McGarry, Crossing centre manager, said they were very proud of the courtesy attendants.