A 19-year-old teenager was arrested along with a 24-year-old accomplice and both face charges of business robbery in the Johannesburg CBD.
It is believed that the two suspects were part of a group of five suspects who allegedly robbed a supermarket in downtown Johannesburg.
When police later arrested the two suspects on 1 August on the corner of Noord and Twist streets, they were in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The five suspects apparently entered the shop pretending to be customers where one of them asked for an airtime.
Johannesburg Central Police Station’s spokesperson, Captain Xoli Mbele, said two suspects pointed firearms at the cashiers and forced them to lie down.
“They took an undisclosed amount of money from the till and three cellphones before they fled the scene.
“One of the community members stopped the police vehicle which was busy with crime prevention duties and alerted them. When the suspects saw the police vehicle they started to run away in different directions.”
Mbele said police gave chase and subsequently apprehended two of the suspects.
They recovered a cellphone, a revolver with no serial number and live rounds, he added.
The firearm will be sent for ballistic testing to ascertain if it was used in the commission of other crimes.
An investigation is underway and the suspects will appear soon in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court.
Details: Johannesburg Central Police Station 011 497 7000.
Related article:
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/239262/police-arrest-30-suspects-selling-counterfeit-goods-joburg-cbd/
