Breaking news: Mercedes Benz linked in a spree of robberies in Hoedspruit

According to eyewitnesses at the scene, the incident happened at 08:45 when four men ambushed the teller as she was opening the shop.

Police at the scene stated the teller was extremely traumatised after the incident.

According to police the robbers had fled in a silver C20 Mercedes Benz registration number CLO1CP GP. Eyewitnesses said they had seen the same four suspects previously at the centre but in a White older BMW with the registration number CZN 137 L.

Police said Farmwatch had already started roadblocks outside Hoedspruit.

According to police, the cashier area of the exchange had bullet proof windows and fingerprint identification to enter.

‘Because they caught the teller in the front and must have surprised her is the only way they could have entered but we will assess the CCTV footage for more clarity on what happened, ‘said one policeman at the scene.

The four suspects were apparently wearing hoods to cover their faces, but one eyewitness stated they were tall and big with very dark complexions.

The suspects had fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

 Robberies in area linked to suspects in a Silver Mercedes Benz in October

 Hoedspruit Herald had reported previously that the police were searching for suspects connected to a string of armed robberies in the area.

According to Hoedspruit police Spokesperson Constable Livhuwani Mulaudzi, the police were on the hunt for the suspects who drove a Silver Mercedes Benz, who had been targeting businesses in the area.

A shop owner at The Oaks Village was robbed at his businesses entrance in the beginning of October.

‘When he arrived he found a taxi which was blocking his way into the shop while he was waiting for the taxi to move, he was approached by three armed suspects who got out of a silver Mercedes Benz,’ said

Mulaudzi.

Two of the suspects pointed firearms and demanded that he give them the cash.

The suspects took undisclosed amounts of cash which he had in a bag before they sped away in his vehicle which was later abandoned near Molalane Village.

In another incident a Shop assistant at Sedawa Village was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash and 50 SASSA cards which had their pin numbers attached to them.

The incident happened at around midday. Four suspects posed as customers and then ambushed the assistant.

‘They entered the shop and took soft drinks and went to the till acting like they wanted to pay for the drinks. The assistant only realised that he was being robbed when they pulled out firearms and pointed them at him,’ said Mulaudzi.

The suspects assaulted him and managed to grab the cash and cards before fleeing the scene of the crime in a Ford Figo which they had parked outside the shop.

Robbery linked with Benz in area in September

Another case linked to the modus operandi with a silver Mercedes Benz used in a robbery was in September when armed robbers ran off with undisclosed amount of money after they hijacked an Allgraine truck near Molalane.

According to Mulaudzi the truck was stopped by five suspects who had blocked the road with their silver Mercedes Benz without number plates.

‘All suspects were armed with firearms and three of them got off the car and approached the driver and his assistant demanding cash,’ said Mulaudzi.

The opened the safe in the truck and they fleed the scene after grabbing the money.

There were no injuries reported during the incident.

Suspects using silver Mercedes Benz in robberies out on bail

 Hoedspruit Herald had also reported that three suspects were arrested and had appeared in the Naphuno Magistrate Court but were out on R800 bail. The suspects had used a silver Mercedes Benz to rob motorists by making illegal road blocks.

According to Mulaudzi the suspects were arrested on October 29 around 23:00 at The Oaks road..

‘The suspects stopped motorists and demanded that they give them money before they can drive through,’ said Mulaudzi.

One of the victims’ reported the matter to the police after the suspects robbed him of cash and took his alcohol as well after he refused to adhere to their rules.

The suspects were arrested after they had stopped an unmarked police vehicle.

The officers were asked to pay but they told the suspects that they didn’t have money on them.

They asked the suspects to driver with them to the garage.

When they arrived at the garage, the police then arrested them.

The suspects, Ernest Matukane (20), Kgolofelo Mothwa (32), and Collen Shai (23) were given bail and their case was postponed to November 24 for further investigations.