UPDATE: Gunman in Vryheid botched armed robbery found dead
They dumped his body along the road where children walking to school were bound to find it.
One of the gunmen who opened fire during a botched armed robbery at Jaco’s Engineering last week was found dead on the side of the road in the KwaJakalas area of oSizweni.
Police sources said that the man appears to have died from bullet wounds sustained during the crossfire that took place between a manager at the store and the robbers.
It is believed that the gunman took his last breath in the getaway car while fleeing the scene. The other robbers concealed his body and the car in oSizweni and hitchhiked to Newcastle to pick up another vehicle. They then returned to oSizweni and placed his body in the boot of the second vehicle until the early hours of the next morning, when they dumped his body along the road where children walking to school were bound to find it.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Callous gunmen still at large as Vryheid police chase down false lead
AND: Callous gunmen open fire on helpless staff in botched armed robbery in Vryheid
On discovery of the body, oSizweni police opened a murder case until the link to the Jaco’s armed robbery was established.
Two more men are in custody in connection with the armed robbers. One of them, a meter-taxi driver from oSizweni, handed himself over, saying he was just hired to drive and didn’t know that an armed robbery was afoot. The other was arrested in oSizweni, following investigations.
Contrary to initial reports, Vryheid SAPS have discovered that there were actually seven men involved in the armed robbery and not five. More arrests are expected soon.
Ernie Hilderbrandt, the staff member who was seriously injured when a bullet went through his abdomen, was discharged from hospital over the weekend and is said to be recovering well.
See Sine Thwala’s coverage of the full story in tomorrow’s edition of the Vryheid Herald.
