Police arrest two suspects in Naas shortly after a post office was robbed

The Tonga police arrested two suspects, aged 26 and 39, in Naas a few moments after a business robbery had been committed at the post office in Mangweni on Friday February 2 at about 07:10.

According to the provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the SAPS managed to recover a firearm, some ammunition and other items during the arrest. One of them is believed to be working as a paramedic.

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“According to a report, some armed suspects entered the said post office and held the employees at gunpoint. It is further reported that they demanded cash from the employees who were tied with cable ties. They then allegedly helped themselves to an undisclosed amount of cash from the safe as well as keys from the post office before they fled the scene in a VW Golf, leaving behind the employees still tied and in a helpless situation,” said Mdhluli. He added that no one was reportedly injured during the incident.

The police were then informed about it, and they were went on high alert in search of the suspects.

“A concerned citizen spotted the VW Golf and alerted the members on its whereabouts. It was during this time when members cornered the two male suspects in Naas in Nkomazi.
Besides the seized firearm with about 10 rounds of ammunition, an undisclosed amount of cash, which is suspected to have been stolen during the robbery, a uniform for paramedics, some keys suspected to be from the post office, and cable ties suspected to have been part of the items used by the men against their victims during the robbery incident were recovered,” he said.

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Mdhluli also said the recovered firearm is said to have been reported stolen in Mayflower during a house burglary in April 2023. The firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether or not it was previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere. Therefore, the SAPS cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues.

The two men are expected to appear in the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court in Tonga on Monday February 5, facing a charge of possession of suspected stolen property, and possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition. The two could also possibly be charged for the reported business robbery case and the house burglary in which a firearm was stolen last year.