Cops clamp down on 11 suspects for armed robbery, ATM bombing

Eleven suspects were recently arrested by Police in connection with two separate incidents of armed robbery and ATM bombing which occurred at supermarkets in Dennilton and Maake respectively at the the beginning of the month.
According to Provincial Police Spokesperson Moatshe Ngoepe the Provincial Police Commissioner Nneke Ledwaba is delighted by the steady efforts made by Police officers involved in the examination of the two incidents and the prompt and sterling investigations which led to the arrest of eleven suspects.
Ngoepe indicated that the arrests followed an incident at a supermarket in Dennilton on 1 April when a group of heavily armed suspects allegedly stormed into one of the supermarkets at the local shopping mall. The suspects reportedly threatened cashiers and customers before bombing an in-store ATM. They fled the scene with an unknown amount of cash.
Police were notified and put in place a 72 hour activation plan which resulted in the arrest of six suspects aged between 24 and 39 in the Dennilton policing area.
A vehicle allegedly used by the suspects was later found abandoned a few kilometres from the crime scene. Two firearms and 19 rounds of live ammunition, explosives, burnt cash canisters and an Isuzu double cab bakkie were also confiscated.
Preliminary investigations revealed that three of the suspects were out on bail for previously committing similar offences, according to Ngoepe.
During the second incident, Ngoepe reiterated that five suspects aged between 23 and 42 years were arrested in connection with an armed robbery committed at a store at Maake Plaza on 4 April.
It is alleged that a group of armed suspects attacked the employees at a shop while they were about to open for customers. In the process the suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of money fleeing the scene in a Toyota Quantum, according to Ngoepe.
During the arrest Police recovered two rifles including an AK-47, a 9 mm pistol and the vehicle. Cash were also found inside the vehicle.

Story: RC Myburgh
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