The family of a Valencia man who was robbed of his cellphone at gunpoint yesterday afternoon, January 4, allegedly helped trap the suspects, leading to the arrest of two men.
The man had been walking home for lunch in the Valencia area while talking to a family member on his cellphone, when three men in a silver Toyota stopped next to him.
One of the suspects in the back allegedly jumped out of the vehicle and reportedly hit the victim in the eye with a firearm before grabbing the cellphone and jumping back in.
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According to reports, the suspects did not know the area well and stopped to ask a woman on the roadside how to exit the area. She allegedly pointed them down a dead-end.
Meanwhile, the family member of the victim, who had heard the commotion over the phone, jumped into their car with other family members and rushed to the scene.
The family said they spotted the Toyota trying to turn around at the dead-end and crashed into it an attempt to stop them escaping.
Divergent Ops arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and apprehended two of the suspects. The third suspect, the one with the gun, fled on foot and is still being sought.
The police took charge of the scene and brought the men into custody.
The Mpumalanga SAPS has been approached for comment. This is a developing story.
