On Sunday 31 March 2024, two unknown African males stormed into a grocery store at corner of Ella Street and Victoria Road in Willows at about 19:15. The suspects then confronted the store manager, pointed him with a firearm and helped themselves to cartons of cigarettes; undisclosed amount of cash and the victim’s cellular telephone. They then ran out of the store. The victim together with other community members chased the two suspects and managed to apprehend one of them in Park Road near Tourism Centre.
The police were called to the scene and the victim’s cellular telephone; cash, stolen cigarettes and Norinco 9mm pistol with a filed off serial and eight (8) live rounds of ammunition were recovered. A case of Business robbery and Illegal possession of firearm was opened at Parkweg Police Station and the suspect detained in police custody. The other suspect is still on the run.
The 37-year-old suspect who is also a foreign national will appear in Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Tuesday 2 April 2024.
