Eight robbery suspects in custody

Eight suspects allegedly involved in two separate incidents of business robbery in Northam and Malamulele on the weekend were rapidly traced and arrested by Police.
Provincial Police Communications Head, Mo­tlafela Mojapelo indicated that during the first incident on Friday Police in Malamulele arrested five suspects following a business robbery at a shop in Madonsi Menele village.
Police followed up information about a robbery in progress and, upon their arrival, found the injured owner of the shop while the suspects had already fled in a white Ford Focus. The armed suspects had robbed the owner of an undisclosed amount of money, cell phones, airtime vouchers and cigarettes, Mojapelo informed.
Police speedily traced the vehicle at the local graveyard and arrested five suspects on the spot. A firearm and a variety of items believed to have been part of the stolen property were recovered.
During the second incident three suspects were arrested after allegedly looting a store in Northam on Saturday.
Reportedly a G4S security officer who had entered the store to collect cash was accosted by two gun-wielding men who took his company firearm and instructed staff members to open the safe. After the safe had been emptied, the security officer and staff members were locked inside and the suspects fled the scene, Mojapelo stated.
Police followed up all leads and, with air support provided by a local businessman, the suspects’ vehicle was spotted in the local RDP settlement. During an ensuing car chase, two suspects were shot and the third cornered and arrested. The injured were taken to hospital.
The vehicle, three pistols, ten rounds of live ammunition and cash were confiscated.
The suspects in both incidents were expected to appear in the respective local magistrate’s courts earlier this week.

Story: RC Myburgh
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