Two suspected robbers, who were arrested following a dramatic shootout with Tshwane metro police in which a suspect was shot and killed, briefly appeared in court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed for a formal bail application while the suspects remained in custody.
Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Monday.
“The metro police were following a tip about the robbery in progress at a Sasol filling station near the Denlyn Shopping Centre in Mamelodi West,” said Mahamba.
“On arrival, the suspects opened fire at the officers and shootout between the officers and the suspects ensued.”
Mahamba said one suspect was shot dead and two arrested. The arrested suspects are aged between 33 and 45 years.
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“A firearm with an erased serial number was recovered from the suspects. The firearm is suspected to be the property of the Tshwane metro police,” said Mahamba.
He further said during the shootout, a metro police vehicle was hit and damaged but no officers were injured.
A total of 93 spent cartridges were recovered from the crime scene.
Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga commended the members of the public for the tip-off they gave about the planned robbery.
He said a concerned member of the public, obviously fed-up with rising levels of crime, anonymously contacted the metro police about the robbery.
“Fighting crime is not the responsibility of government alone, communities need to work with us in order to rid the country of the crime scourge,” Msimanga said.
Msimanga encouraged members of the public to emulate the concerned resident whose information led to the arrest of the armed robbery suspects this morning by reporting crime and service delivery challenges.
The arrested suspects were charged with armed robbery and attempted murder and will remain in police custody. The suspects will appear again at Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court on 15 October.
The public is encouraged to report crime anonymously to the TMPD call centre on 012-358-7095/6 or on 082-891-8625.
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