Bringing a toy gun to a robbery – Knives out to prosecute, say cops

Two men appeared in Witbank Magistrate’s Court earlier this week for armed robbery. The two suspects, aged between 32 and 19, appeared before Witbank Magistrate’s Court on January 25.

One of the suspects is facing a charge of robbery with a firearm and the other one possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Police arrested the two men after a tuck shop owner was robbed on January 23 at Phase 1 in Hlalanikahle. The complainant alleged that he was inside his tuck shop when he was approached by a man he knows who suddenly pointed him with a firearm and demanded some cash.

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The suspect searched the tuck shop owner and took an undisclosed amount of money from the complainant and some loose cigarettes and fled the scene. The police traced the first suspect and arrested him soon afterwards.

“The suspect led police to where the firearm was kept, and it was found in possession of the suspect’s friend at Hlalanikahle Extension 2, who was also arrested for possession of an illegal firearm,” said Captain Elizabeth Mkaudi, Vosman police spokesperson.

Capt Mkaudi said it was discovered that the gun was a toy gun, however, the charge of robbery with a firearm will still stand against the suspect.

Meanwhile, Vosman Police are also searching for suspects involved in a business robbery incident that took place in Ackerville on Saturday, January 23. The complainant alleged that he was at his shop with his co-workers when suddenly five unknown suspects entered and ordered them to lie down on the floor.

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They then started to ransack the shop and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the till, cigarettes worth R3,000 as well as their personal belongings before fleeing the scene.

This article was republished from Witbank News with permission

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