Five suspects have been arrested in connection with a business robbery in Strand after Cape- Town Metro Police officers tracked down a getaway vehicle, recovered suspected stolen goods and seized an unlicensed firearm.
According to Cape-TownMetro Police spokesperson Ruth Solomons, the robbery occurred shortly after 8pm on Monday when four male suspects, two of whom were allegedly armed, targeted a business and fled with cash and electronic goods.
“Just after 8pm, officers were alerted that four male suspects – two of whom were armed – had gotten away with approximately R10 000 in cash, vapes and other electronic goods,” Solomons said.
While conducting patrols in Nyanga, Metro Police officers spotted the vehicle believed to have been used in the robbery and stopped the driver for questioning.
“Officers spotted the getaway vehicle linked to the robbery – they pulled over the driver and recovered dozens of vapes in a black bag on the back seat,” Solomons said.
The driver allegedly told officers that his nephew had been using the vehicle at the time of the robbery.
The investigation then led officers to a residence in Delft, where four male suspects were found. According to Solomons, two of the men admitted their involvement in the robbery.
“Officers then headed to an address in Delft, where they found four males – two of whom admitted to their involvement in the robbery. One of them also pointed out the location where they’d hidden a firearm, which still had its serial number intact,” she said.
Police recovered the firearm and arrested all five suspects.
“A total of five suspects were arrested on charges of possession of suspected stolen property and possession of an unlicensed firearm. They will also be linked to the business robbery case being investigated by Strand SAPS,” Solomons said.
Further investigation revealed that the firearm had previously been handed to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal for safekeeping, raising questions about how it ended up in the suspects’ possession.
“Further investigation revealed that the recovered firearm had previously been handed in for safekeeping to SAPS in KwaZulu-Natal. Investigations are continuing to determine how the firearm came into the possession of the suspects,” Solomons added.
The suspects are expected to appear in court once they have been formally charged.
