Robbers held police officers at the the Badplaas police station in Mpumalanga hostage in September and stole three firears, as well as ammunition before fleeing.
Pretoria – National head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya on Friday welcomed the arrest of suspects in connection with the armed robbery committed at the Badplaas police station, Mpumalanga, in September this year.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said it was alleged that on September 12, in the early hours of the morning, one suspect approached the gate of the police station, screaming and pretending that he was being attacked and needed help from the police officers on duty.
“When the unarmed police (officers) attended to the ‘help seeker’ another suspect appeared from within the premises and they both pointed firearms at the officers and ordered them back inside the client service centre,” said Ramovha.
The assailants demanded the keys to the safe and stole three firearms, including an R5 rifle and two pistols, as well as ammunition, before fleeing.
“The Mpumalanga Hawks’ Serious Organised Investigation in concert with the Flying Squad and Elukwatini detectives followed up on information which resulted in the arrest of three suspects aged 36, 37 and 44 around Nelspruit yesterday (Thursday). All three stolen firearms were recovered and they are to be subjected to forensic analysis to establish whether they were used in the commission of other crimes,” said Ramovha.
“The two suspects arrested in possession of the firearms have been positively linked to the robbery scene whilst the third is still only being questioned at this stage to establish his role.”
The arrested men were on Friday scheduled to appear in the Calcutta Magistrate’s Court, facing charges of armed robbery and possession of state firearms.
African News Agency (ANA)