Pretoria - Police in Seshego outside Polokwane have launched a manhunt for assailants who blasted an ATM at Makgofe, outside Seshego, and got away with an undisclosed amount of money.
Spokesperson for the police in Limpopo, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the incident happened in the wee hours, at around 1.30am.
“According to the information received, unknown number of men armed with rifles and pistols stormed the garage’s (filling station) kiosk and ordered everyone to lie on the ground,” said Ledwaba.
“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 police’s disposal shows that the robbers then went outside the shop, and also bombed two ATMs, where an undisclosed amount of cash was taken.
“No injuries to human except for the damage caused to a taxi which (was) parked near the ATMs,” said Ledwaba.
“Anyone with information that can assist police in tracking down the suspects is requested to contact Colonel Mamuhohi on 082 565 7288.”
Last year, three foreign nationals - one woman and two men - were arrested by SAPS at Beitbridge border post for allegedly being in possession of commercial explosives.
At the time, Limpopo provincial spokesperson for the SAPS, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the trio was arrested as they crossed into South Africa from neighbouring Zimbabwe.
“The police were called by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) after they came across the three suspects near the SANDF support base, crossing the borderline from Zimbabwe to South Africa carrying a backpack and two luggage bags,” Mojapelo said at the time.
“The suspects, aged between 31 and 33, were arrested and taken to Musina police station where their luggages were searched and commercial explosives discovered.”
Members of the Musina explosives unit were summoned and subsequently identified the explosives as six reels of detonating cord, orange in colour, without any branding; 50 units of connector capped fuses, green in colour branded Famesa Carmex; 65 units of blasting cartridges branded Superpower 90 emulsion explosives, Solar Explochem Zambia Limited,” he said.
IOL