Robbers arrested after waking constable with gun to his head

Five robbery suspects aged 32, 34, 36 and 59 were arrested last night following an armed robbery at the home of a police officer last week Monday.

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Police spokesperson Constable Herman Moremi said the suspects were found hiding in different places around Hammanskraal, in Mandela Village, Kekana, Sekampaneng, Thabazimbi and in Soshanguve.

“They broke into the Hammanskraal home, north of Pretoria, of a constable while he and his wife were asleep in their bedroom. The suspects woke the officer up by pointing a firearm against his head. They also pointed the gun at his wife,” Moremi said.

The robbers tied the couple up and demanded his service pistol and money. “They fled with his service pistol, and two cellphones as well as money. They wanted to take his car as well, but decided against it,” Moremi said.

He added the couple’s children were asleep in their rooms, unaware of what was taking place.

According to Moremi, the police managed to trace the firearm to a 59-year-old man who told the police he bought it from the suspects for R2 500. “The firearm had the police badge on, but the serial number was already filed off. The man said he wanted the firearm to protect himself,” Moremi said.

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Temba Police Station commander Brigadier Page Dibetle applauded the police for their excellent work in tracing and arresting the suspects, and said it sent a clear message to criminals that “they can run, but they cannot hide from the police”.

The suspects will appear in the Moretele Magistrates’ Court on Monday on charges of house robbery.