Five arrested after deadly Benoni shootout with police

A planned business robbery in Ekurhuleni was foiled by the police on Saturday October 30 which saw two suspects being fatally wounded and five others arrested during a shootout with the police in Benoni on the East Rand of Johannesburg. Police recovered four firearms reportedly used by the suspects.

According to a statement, the Police’s Crime Intelligence shared information with a multi-disciplinary team about a gang that was planning to commit a business robbery in Ekurhuleni. A team of law enforcement agencies consisting of the Hawks, SAPS Highway Patrol Unit, Benoni Tactical Response Team, SAPS Air Wing, Gauteng Saturation Unit, Ekurhuleni Trio Task Team and District Operations Team, MDOC CI CIT Team, Tracker Connect, Bad Boyz Security and Vision Tactical Security was established to track down the suspects.

The team intercepted two cars in Brentwood Park Benoni, a white Mercedes Benz with four occupants and a Silver Grey Polo Vivo with three occupants. Upon seeing the police, suspects started shooting at the police and a shootout ensued. Two of the suspects were fatally wounded while five suspects were cornered and arrested, the statement reads.

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In a separate incident in Ennerdale on Friday October 29, two suspects were arrested and one fatally wounded during a shootout with the police. This is after the suspects had robbed a chain store in Ennerdale. Three unlicensed firearms belonging to the suspects were recovered.

Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela commended the team of law enforcers who worked together to foil a business robbery and prevented the loss of lives. He also thanked the private security officers and community who assisted in the apprehension of armed robbery suspects in Ennerdale. “The good work performed by the team is commendable. These arrests of armed suspects were successfully executed soon after we have launched our Safer Festive Season Operations. We want to send a strong message that there won’t be a space in Gauteng for criminals to manoeuvre this festive season. Law enforcement officers are all over the province and they are on high alert, ready to protect the community from heartless, dangerous and daring criminals,” he said.

The suspects will appear in court in due course.