Detectives from Witbank Police Station managed to arrest a suspect and recover several stolen items hours after a business robbery occurred at Foschini stores in the Central Business District (CBD).

The 36-year-old suspect appeared in Witbank Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, June 4; he appeared on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances. The case was postponed for seven days for further investigation.

The robbery took place on Tuesday, June 2 at 09:15 when a total of six armed suspects walked into the Foschini’s shop in Walter Sisulu Street in the CBD.

The six suspects were armed with firearms; they pointed the firearms at the staff and members of the public that were inside the store.

The suspects demanded cash, cell phones and laptops from the staff and members of the public.

As the six suspects searched through the store, they robbed the store of a total of 62 cell phones, 36 laptops and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The robbers fled the scene in a red BMW sedan and a white Volkswagen Polo with unknown registration number plates.

The Witbank Detective Trio Task Team immediately acted on information they received of the business robbery and on Wednesday, June 3 in the evening the tracing team managed to arrest one of the six suspects.

The suspect was arrested in Extension 12 in the Vosman area in possession of the white Volkswagen Polo that was used in the robbery as well as 40 cell phones and seven laptops that was taken from the store.

“The Witbank Police are appealing to the community to assist them with the tracing and arresting of the other five suspects that fled the scene in a red BMW with unknown registration number plates,” said Captain Eddie Hall, head of corporate communications from Witbank SAPS.

Anyone who has information on the whereabouts of the suspects can contact the investigating officer Warrant Officer Paulus Masango on 072 178 3028 or contact the national crime stop number on 08600 10111 or SMS the national crime stop line on 32211.