Limpopo police launch manhunt for fake cops after mall robbery

The Limpopo police have launched a manhunt for a group of fake police officers who robbed a mall in the early hours of Wednesday.

South African Police Service (Saps) spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said on Wednesday at around 12:15 am, security guards were on duty at Tafelkop Mall.

Mashaba said the suspects, clad in police uniform and armed with firearms, arrived in a white Volkswagen Polo Classic with a Gauteng registration number plate and flashing blue lights.

“They then demanded to enter the mall as they apparently received information regarding a planned criminal activity that was about to take place at the mall,” he said.

Security guards were suspicious

The bogus officers also allegedly made a request to enter the security control room to monitor cameras.

This was, however, when the security guards became suspicious and notified the actual police without the suspects noticing.

“After a few minutes, one of the suspects received a call, and thereafter, they started to threaten and rob them of cell phones, three two-way radios, and a jacket,” said Mashaba.

“They quickly left the building, rushed to their vehicle, and drove off; some of them fled on foot to the nearby shacks after noticing the police.”

Upon the arrival of the police, they recovered one Saps reflector jacket from the scene.

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A case of business robbery had been opened, and the investigations were still ongoing, the Saps confirmed.

“Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects should contact Detective Sergeant Calvin Maluleke on 076 057 4315, the crime stop number on 08600 10111, the nearest police station, or MySAPSApp,” Mashaba said.

In recent months, a 47-year-old suspect from Boitekong outside Rustenburg, North West, was arrested for pretending to be an investigating officer in a theft case that was opened in September 2022.

The suspect had called and demanded R3 000 from the man who was implicated in the theft case on the condition that he would destroy the case docket.