Sgt Thulani Mashiyane and Const David van den Berg from the Springs SAPS successfully recovered George Mkhabela’s cellphone after he was mugged last Wednesday morning.
The officers, from the Social Crime Prevention Unit, were driving along Hills Road in Selection Park when they were flagged down by Mkhabela who had just accosted by two men, one of whom was armed with a gun.
Mkabehla told police that at around 10am on Wednesday he was walking to work when the incident happened.
One of the men, who was wearing a blue overall top with blue jeans, pulled out a gun, cocked it and pointed it at him.
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The other man, dressed in a blue jacket, red T-shirt and black tracksuit pants, instructed Mkhabela to give them his money and cellphone.
The victim had just used his phone so it was still in his hand. The unarmed man grabbed it, before searching him and finding R60 in the victim’s inner jacket pocket.
After they took the money and cellphone, they assaulted the victim and then told him to go.
As he started walking away, he realised the two men were still following him.
By the time he reached Nigel Road and looked back, he realised the two men were no longer there.
He then saw the patrolling police van and flagged the officers down.
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“Once we had stopped, he explained to us what had happened and described the two men and what they took from him. We told him to go to the police station to report the matter and we would search for the men in the meantime.
“We went in the direction the victim last saw the men went and we caught up to them. When we jumped out of the van, the one with the gun ran, but we managed to arrest his accomplice.
“When we searched him, we found the victim’s phone,” said Mashiyane.
Mashiyane said they were still tracking down the man’s accomplice.
Mkhabela was grateful to the police for their hard work and for recovering his possessions.
The man will face charges of armed robbery and possession of the stolen property.
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