Alleged robber and getaway driver nabbed after heist, bags of cellphones recovered

Two people have been arrested in Bela-Bela in connection with a robbery at a retail store on Friday in which an armed gang made off with R400 000 worth of cellphone devices.

Four armed suspects robbed the store in the Bela-Bela CBD and fled in a getaway car, along with their loot, police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said.

While responding to the incident, officers spotted a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car and gave chase.

“When these suspects noticed that the police were on their heels, they drove into the nearest resort, abandoned the vehicle and the occupants ran towards different directions on foot, leaving the driver behind,” Ngoepe said.

With the support of residents in the area, the driver as well as another suspect who was trying to hide were arrested.

They are aged 21 and 23 and are from Temba, near Hammanskraal, in Gauteng.

Police confiscated the getaway vehicle and three bags containing cellphones, Ngoepe added.

The remaining suspects are still on the run and a manhunt is underway.

The two who were arrested face charges of business robbery and the possession of suspected stolen property.

They are expected to appear in Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

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