Pretoria – A 34-year-old man has been arrested in Mpumalanga after police recovered more than R100 000, bullets and a toy gun, linked to theft of money from a Capitec ATM.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, spokesperson for the police in Mpumalanga said the man, who has not been identified as he has not appeared in court, was arrested on Sunday.
“A good partnership between the police and the local security guards in Standerton had led to the arrest of a suspect aged 34. During his arrest, the man was found with more than R100 000 in his possession as well as a toy gun and a magazine for a pistol,” Mohlala said.
“It is said that a group of about five suspects allegedly went to a Capitec ATM at a certain shopping centre in a purple Volkswagen Polo.
“It is alleged that they somehow gained access to where the money was and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the ATM. An alarm was then activated which notified the security company who in turn alerted the Standerton SAPS.”
Four of the criminals fled, as he was cornered by the law enforcement agents.
“He was charged for burglary as well as for possession of suspected stolen property, the money. He is expected to appear at the Standerton Magistrate’s Court soon, facing the said charges,” Mohlala said.
On Sunday, IOL reported that police in Seshego, outside Polokwane, had launched a manhunt for assailants who blasted an ATM at Makgofe, outside Seshego, and got away with an undisclosed amount of money.
Limpopo spokesperson for the SAPS, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the incident happened in the early hours of Friday.
“According to the information received, an unknown number of men armed with rifles and pistols stormed the garage’s (filling station) kiosk and ordered everyone to lie on the ground,” Ledwaba said.
“These men allegedly proceeded to the store where they opened the Capitec ATM, and also detonated the drop-in safe, which caused an extensive damage to the whole store and stock.”
Information at the police’s disposal shows that the robbers went outside the shop and also bombed two ATMs, where an undisclosed amount of cash was taken.
IOL