Alleged police station robbers nabbed by cops
The trio are set to appear in the Calcutta Magistrate's Court today on charges of armed robbery and the illegal possession of State firearms.
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Three men have been arrested in connection with the Badplaas Police Station robbery on September 12.
On the morning in question, SAPS officials had responded to a cry from one of the suspects. It turned out to be a ruse orchestrated to lure the unsuspecting police to the gate in order to commit the robbery.
A joint operation between the Mpumalanga Hawks’ Serious Organised Investigation Unit, the Flying Squad and detectives from Elukwatini uncovered the suspects’ whereabouts.
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After following up on a tip-off, the team arrested three men, aged 36, 37 and 44, in Mbombela yesterday. Lt Gen Godfrey Lebeya, the national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, welcomed their apprehension as well as the recovery of the three firearms taken during the robbery.
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According to the Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Capt Lloyd Ramovha, these firearms will be subjected to forensic analysis to determine if they had been used in the commission of any crimes since the robbery. “The two suspects arrested in possession of the firearms have been positively linked to the robbery scene while the third is still only being questioned at this stage to establish his role in the crime,” said Ramovha.
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