Two suspects arrested after rolling their getaway vehicle
The driver lost control of the vehicle following another armed robbery.
DE DEUR – The police say two suspects, linked to a filling station heist in De Deur in July, have been arrested and are now facing charges of business robbery.
This comes after the suspects apparently lost control of their getaway vehicle on the R82 following yet another armed robbery in Alrode the following day.
This is apparently the same vehicle involved in the filling station heist at the TotalEnergies filling station in De Deur, during which a cashier was shot.
According to Pieter Vogel, an off duty security guard who helped apprehend the suspects, he was on his way home from Pretoria on July 20, when he saw the driver roll the blue Suzuki vehicle near Michelle Avenue, Alberton.
“I saw the accident happen. The vehicle was heading in the direction of Vereeniging when the driver lost control and the accident occurred,” Vogel told Vaalweekblad.
Vogel says he stopped, got out of his vehicle and noticed the two suspects get out of the vehicle.
“Something didn’t feel right. I phoned my supervisor to check the registration number of the blue Suzuki that was involved in the filling station heist in De Deur (the previous day). He sent me the registration number and it matched the registration number of the Suzuki that had been involved in the accident.”
According to Vogel, he walked up to the suspects and asked if they were okay.
“I tried to keep them on the scene until backup arrived, but they seemed startled and were heading towards the veld. I followed them, keeping a safe distance. We walked very far.”
Finally, the police arrived and the suspects were arrested.
According to Vogel, the suspects were found in possession of cash.
Responding to media enquiries, Ekurhuleni’s police spokesperson Captain Neldah Sekgobela said that apart from the filling station heist in De Deur, the suspects are also being investigated for a business robbery case that occurred at the Sasol Garage in Bosworth Steet in Alrode.
“The two suspects, aged 37 and 30, were arrested. Both reside in Jeppestown, Johannesburg,” Sekgobela said.
According to Sekgobela, the suspects appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on August 22 and are still in custody as they are awaiting their bail application.
“The case was postponed to allow the investigating officer to verify the addresses of the accused,” Sekgobela said.
