LIMPOPO – Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has thanked members attached to the Limpopo and Mpumalanga SAPS following the recent arrest of five wanted business robbers.
The five suspects were arrested during a joint operations conducted by members of the Burgersfort and Mpumalanga Provincial tactical response teams.
In a statement, police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the five armed suspects committed a business robbery at one of the supermarkets in the Burgersfort CBD at about 08:15 on Saturday (January 15). An undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes were reportedly taken during the incident.
“Members of the Burgersfort TRT were activated and upon information received that the suspects, travelling in two vehicles, fled in the direction of the Graskop area in Mpumalanga, members of the Mpumalanga Provincial TRT were also activated.”
Mojapelo explained that one of the identified vehicles, with two occupants, was spotted in this area and stopped. “The suspects attempted to evade the arrest but the members gave chase and succeeded in apprehending them.”
During the arrest, the members recovered an undisclosed amount of money and a 9mm pistol with live rounds of ammunition, he added.
Mojapelo explained that while the SAPS were affecting the arrest, the second identified vehicle passed at a high speed. “A car chase ensued whereby the suspects reportedly opened fire on the SAPS officials. The SAPS retaliated and subsequently the remaining three suspects were arrested.”
During the arrest the officials recovered two 9mm pistols with live rounds of ammunition, and undisclosed amount of money, cellphones and cigarettes.
Hadebe said these collaborative efforts by SAPS will ensure that the operating space for these criminals is squeezed to zero.
The five suspects, aged between 35 and 44, are expected to appear before the Graskop Magistrate’s Court today (January 17) on charges of attempted murder, possession of unlawful firearms and ammunition and possession of suspected stolen firearms and properties.
They will thereafter appear before the Burgersfort Magistrate’s Court on a charge related to the business robbery.
