Police kill alleged robber during Tongaat business robbery

An alleged robber was shot and killed by police on Saturday afternoon after an armed robbery of a shop in Fairbreeze, Tongaat.

Two men held up the employees and security guards at gunpoint and took money, cellphones and an iPad.

They fled the area in different directions, and one of them hijacked a Mercedes Benz and used it as a getaway vehicle.

The other man was spotted running away on foot according to police and when he noticed the officers he started shooting at them.

KZN SAPS provincial spokesperson major Thulani Zwane said the police retaliated, killing the suspect.

“Later the second man was also arrested and the hijacked Mercedes Benz vehicle was recovered in the area. Two unlicensed firearms suspected to be used during the robbery were recovered as well as an undisclosed amount of money,” said Zwane.

The man will be charged with business robbery, attempted murder, car hijacking and possession of an unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

He will appear in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court today.

KZN Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni praised the Tongaat SAPS for the swift arrest of the suspected robber.

“The arrested suspect will be profiled to see if he is not linked to any other business robberies in the area,” said Ngobeni.

She also thanked the community for the information they gave to the police that led to the arrest and the recovery of stolen goods as well as a hijacked vehicle.