Kriel SAPS got a breakthrough in a business robbery case and the suspects are set to appear in court soon.
OJ’s panel beaters situated in Ga-Nala got uninvited guests when six suspects got inside the shop and took a black Ford Fiesta.
The incident happened on Tuesday, December 12 around 07:20.
According to the owner of the panel beaters, a woman from Secunda got involved in an accident when she was driving her friend’s car. She went to the panel beater to get a quotation which amounted to R32 000.00. She told her cousin, a traffic cop hailing from Eastern Cape about the amount. The cousin said the quotation was too high and rather opted to buy parts in order to reduce the money requested. The owner of the panel beaters agreed and the costs were reduced to R27 000.00. The cousin gave the woman the money and it is alleged that instead of taking it to the panel beaters she used it for her personal things.
The black Ford Fiesta that was recovered after six suspects stole it at OJ’s panel beaters. The incident happened on Tuesday, December 12.
The woman went back to her cousin and told him she could no longer afford to pay the car and the panel beaters are refusing to give her the vehicle.
That is when five armed male suspects driving a Toyota Fortuner came in at the panel beaters and took the black Ford Fiesta forcefully. The vehicle was already fixed when it was stolen. The six suspects drove away and stopped at Kinross Sasol Garage to fill up the car’s tank as the vehicle did not have petrol.
During this time the owner of the panel beaters had alerted his friend to be on the look out for the Fiesta and he was in contact with police.
The suspects were arrested by Kriel SAPS while at the filling station. The firearm and vehicle have been recovered. The five male suspects are aged between 29 and 47 and the woman is 35-years-old. The accused will appear at the Kriel Magistrate Court soon.
ALSO READ
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/103132/five-businesses-robbed-within-four-days/
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/102096/klarinet-business-targeted-robbery/
