On August 23, 2023, three suspects between the ages of 27 and 42 were caught by the police in a minibus taxi while attempting to flee a business robbery in Ogies, South Africa. The suspects were arrested and firearms and ammunition were seized.
The Robbery
The police received a complaint of a business robbery in progress at a local chain store in Ogies. When they arrived, they were faced with two suspects who had hijacked a silver Isuzu LDV bakkie and were firing shots at the police. The suspects then abandoned the vehicle at the Ogies Kriel T-junction and hijacked a white VW Polo. The owner of the Polo attempted to stop the hijackers by firing shots, but without success.
The two suspects drove back to Ogies CBD, where they noticed a heavy police presence and local businesspeople on the main street. Realizing they were cornered, the two suspects abandoned the hijacked VW Polo and fled on foot towards nearby bushes. They remain at large and are currently sought by authorities.
The Arrest
Meanwhile, three suspects were inside the store, attempting to escape with an undisclosed amount of cash. They reportedly left a rented Honda Amaze, which is suspected to have been intended as a getaway vehicle. While looking for a quick escape, the three suspects approached a minibus taxi, promising the driver payment for unoccupied seats if he could quickly get them out of the area.
However, the police and other law enforcement agencies had the town well-covered, and they successfully intercepted the taxi, capturing the three suspects. Upon their arrest, the police discovered two firearms with filed-off serial numbers and 21 live rounds of ammunition. An undisclosed sum of money, suspected to have been stolen during the robbery, was also recovered.
Ongoing Investigation
The two hijacked vehicles, the Isuzu bakkie and the VW Polo, along with the rented Honda Amaze, were seized as part of the ongoing investigation. The confiscated firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine if they have been used in previous crimes. As the investigation continues, more charges could potentially be filed against the arrested suspects.
The three captured suspects are set to appear in Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court on August 25, 2023. The police are urging anyone with information about the whereabouts of the two remaining suspects to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via the MySAPS App. All information received will be treated as confidential, and callers may choose to remain anonymous.
Police Commendation
Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, has welcomed the arrest and commended the local business community for their assistance in cornering the suspects. She emphasized that the proliferation of firearms in society remains a challenge, but the police are committed to recovering and removing these weapons from the wrong hands.
