LIMPOPO – Three men, aged between 39 and 48, were arrested yesterday (Monday, 2 November) following a robbery at a retail store in the Bela Bela policing area.

The men reportedly accosted workers from the store and instructed them to open the safe, according to a statement by Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe.

Ngoepe says the men robbed an undisclosed amount of cash and cellphones, before they fled the scene. “The police were notified about the robbery and members of the community provided valuable information about the description of the getaway vehicle and the direction it took,” he explains.

Ngoepe says police in North West spotted the vehicle travelling along the R511, heading towards Brits and a car chase ensued with assistance of a private security company.

“The robbers started to fire numerous shots at the police, who retaliated, and one robber was shot during the shootout,” he adds.

The police managed to arrest the three men and recover a firearm, five rounds of live ammunition, a toy gun as well as the cash and cellphones that were robbed from the retail store.

“The injured man is currently under police guard in hospital after sustaining gun shot wounds. The suspects will soon appear before the Brits and Bela-Bela magistrate’s courts, facing charges of business robbery, possession of prohibited firearm and ammunition and the possession of suspected stolen properties,” Ngoepe adds.

Police investigations are still continuing, he concludes.