Three suspects nabbed after allegedly robbing Pretoria Food Lover’s Market outlet

Quick-thinking police officers arrested three suspects who allegedly robbed a Food Lover’s Market outlet in Pretoria on Wednesday morning.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said members of the Tshwane flying squad were on a routine patrol in the Rooihuiskraal area in the early hours of Wednesday morning when they spotted a number of men running toward a Toyota Quantum minibus that was parked on Old Johannesburg Road.

“The members immediately stopped and searched the vehicle. They recovered a variety of housebreaking implements and plastic bags containing food items from Food Lover’s Market. Also found in the vehicle, was a cash box belonging to the G4S security company.

“The police also found gloves and a loaded pistol with its serial number filed off. As soon as the members realised that the men could have committed a business robbery, a vehicle was dispatched to the nearby Food Lover’s Market, where the police found the security guards tied up, thus confirming the suspicion of a business robbery,” said Peters.

Three suspects were arrested but a fourth managed to escape.

Peters said the suspects were expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and faced charges of business robbery, possession of suspected stolen property and the possession of an illegal firearm.

“Investigations will continue to establish a possible link to other business robberies or any other crimes. Police management in Gauteng has commended the vigilance of the officers whose efforts will go a long way in ridding the streets of criminals.”

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