In order to ensure that offenders are brought to book, members of the community reacted swiftly after a business owner of Uitenhage was robbed in Maitland Street, Uitenhage at about 16:30, on 15 September 2017.
It is alleged that four suspects, one armed with a firearm, threatened the shop owner and attempted to gain access to the cash register but failed.
The suspects then took cellphones and fled on foot from the scene.
Community members visiting the gym, next to the shop, who noticed the robbery acted swiftly and arrested a 24 year old male suspect on the spot. The suspect was handed over to the police for detention. The other three suspects managed to evade arrest, but arrests are imminent.
Uitenhage Station Commander, Brigadier Laurence Soekoe lauded the community for their quick response and said: “The role of community involvement is pivotal in assisting us to arrest suspected criminals, and it is imperative to win the war against crime. We applaud their swift action”.
The 24-year-old suspect is due to appear in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s court on Monday, 18 September 2017 on a charge of business robbery.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
