Five men from KwaZulu Natal have been remanded in custody after they appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court in connection with a business robbery at a jewellery store in the Savannah Mall, Polokwane.
The men, aged between 24 and 40 were traced and arrested in KwaZulu Natal for the robbery which happened on May 12.
“Their cases are remanded to 3 October 2023 for further police investigations and possible bail application,” according to Limpopo provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
Police have identified the accused men as Asanda Mhlongo aged 23; Sifundo Chiya aged 28; Mduduzi Zulu aged 30; Lindokuhle Sikhosana aged 33; and Goodwill Ngcobo aged 40.
The five were arrested at Hilton, in the Pietermaritzburg policing area on 19 May by members of SA Police Service Limpopo tracking team, the Limpopo murder and robbery unit, Pietermaritzburg highway patrol and two private security companies.
During the arrest of the five men, police recovered some of the items stolen at the Polokwane shop, and a getaway vehicle - a grey Toyota Corolla sedan.
“The suspects allegedly robbed jewellery worth millions before fleeing the scene,” said Ledwaba.
In May, after the robbery, police said the five assailants had held employees in the jewellery shop at gunpoint, and robbed them of the “expensive” jewellery.
Following the robbery, the police in Limpopo then activated a team of investigators to trace and arrest the perpetrators.
Limpopo provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has saluted the law enforcement team which traced and arrested the alleged robbers.
“I am forever indebted to the commitment of men and women in blue for the breakthrough in these sophisticated criminal activities, in which provincial operation ‘Wu Kwihi Nawu’ yields remarkable results as our teams continue to send a clear message that our province will never be a playground for criminals, under our watch,” she said after the arrest.
IOL