JOHANNESBURG: Gauteng police have arrested four suspects and shot one suspect dead during a foiled robbery in Hillbrow.
One suspect was fatally wounded, while two suspects were initially arrested on Wednesday, while the other two suspects were arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning, said Johannesburg Central police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele.
Mbele said police were working with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) when they spotted suspicious suspects in a Honda CRV, which had four suspects inside, in the Ellof Extension area, on Wednesday.
“The police tried to stop the vehicle and one of the suspects shot at the police. Police officers retaliated and one of the suspects was shot once in the upper body,” said Mbele.
“Paramedics certified the suspect dead on the scene. Two more suspects were apprehended after they jumped out of the car and ran away.”
He said the vehicle had been hijacked and a case had been opened with police in Yeoville.
On Thursday morning, the police nabbed two more suspects.
“Police, in conjunction with JMPD, apprehended two more suspects, between the age of 33 and 37, for conspiracy to commit a robbery, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, at Hillbrow precinct, in the early hours of September 9, 2021,” said Mbele.
“Police followed up leads, after one of the suspects ran away in yesterday's foiled robbery. They cornered the suspect in his place of residence, where they apprehended his friend, after they were found in possession of two unlicensed firearms and ammunition.”
Mbele said the firearms would be sent for ballistic testing, to ascertain if they were used in the commission of other serious and violent crimes, while further investigations were under way.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court soon, while the Johannesburg Central Station commander Brigadier Ivan Perumal commended the swift response by the police in the apprehension of the outstanding suspects.
IOL