Pretoria – Two alleged armed robbers were fatally shot while others escaped from a crime scene in Rolle, outside Thulamahashe in Mpumalanga, after members of the SAPS intervened during a robbery spree.
“According to the report, the officers received information about a group of men who look suspicious, and responded swiftly. Upon arrival, they parked their vehicle a little distance from the filling station and walked on foot to the scene,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
He said the robbers noticed the police officers and fired shots at them.
“The police retaliated and a shoot-out ensued, where two of the suspects were fatally wounded and a police vehicle was damaged. The other suspects proceeded to bomb the drop safe, took an undisclosed amount of cash and robbed the staff of their cellphones,” said Mohlala.
“They also broke into a bottle store and stole alcohol, as well as hijacking a Hyundai truck, and fled in three other vehicles – a Toyota double cab bakkie, a white Isuzu double cab bakkie and a cream-white VW Polo.”
He said police had recovered the hijacked truck as well as the stolen alcohol.
“Cases of attempted murder, business robbery as well as contravention of the Explosives Act are being investigated,” said Mohlala.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela, has applauded the “swift response” by police at Mhala police station to the business robbery.
A manhunt has been launched for the suspects.
IOL