Thanks to a quick-thinking off-duty police officer, Boksburg police arrested five gunmen this morning (February 3) shortly after they allegedly robbed the post office in the CBD.
According to Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Sgt Ntsako Ledwaba, the robbery took place at about 8.30am at the post office on Leeuwpoort Street.
Information gathered suggests that five men, one of them clad in what appears to be a Fidelity Security uniform and a bulletproof vest, thought they were in for an easy picking when they stormed the post office and held staff at gunpoint before stealing an undisclosed amount of money.
They also reportedly robbed the security officer of his service pistol before fleeing the scene in their getaway car, a Mercedes-Benz.
But, unbeknown to them, one of the passers-by was an off-duty police officer who noticed that something was amiss.
The off-duty officer, from Boksburg Police Station, followed the suspects’ vehicle while calling for back-up.
The officer and his colleagues, who arrived in a police patrol van, arrested the five suspects as they were travelling along Commissioner Street.
Police found the suspects in possesion of four firearms and live ammunition. The stolen money was also recovered.
They were taken to the police station to be formally charged.
The off-duty police officer, described as a dedicated member, has been praised for his role in chasing after and apprehending the five suspects.
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The post office is the latest to be hit in a series of robberies and burglaries in the area.
