Two suspects, aged 35 and 40, are expected to appear at the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court today, after being nabbed by the Police in Calcutta for allegedly robbing a truck of liquor beverages valued at about R450 000 in Marite.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, 5 July 2023.
According to information, a company truck with two occupants, carrying a stock of liquor beverages was travelling along the R40 Road near Marite when a group of armed suspects allegedly shot at them while instructing them to stop.
After stopping the truck, the suspects got inside and held the two men at gunpoint, thereby ordering them to drive to a secluded place in the nearby bushes.
Upon arrival, it is further alleged that there were approximately six cars, including a Toyota Quantum and other bakkies at the scene.
The two male victims were then instructed to offload the consignment into the other vehicles although some of the liquor stock remained in the truck.
The suspects are said to have fled the scene thereafter, leaving behind the two victims.
The Police in Calcutta were alerted about the incident and upon arrival, a case of robbery was opened. The men and women in blue immediately began with the lookout for the suspects with a sole purpose to swiftly bring the perpetrators to book.
The members displayed professionalism in their work as they used their skills to operate, thereby following details after obtaining information regarding the robbery and description of suspects.
Shortly after the robbery, members from Visible Policing in Calcutta managed to trace and arrest the two suspects as well as recovered some of the suspected stolen liquor beverages that were found inside some of the vehicles as indicated by the victims.
The duo was then charged for possession of suspected stolen properties and for armed robbery that was staged earlier that day.
The police are still in pursuit of the remaining suspects and urge anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspects to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via MySAPS App.
All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela has applauded members for the job well done, especially because the members performed well in the area of Marite has been a thorn in the skin. Meanwhile the General made a plea on members of the community to refrain from buying stolen goods. “For us to win this war against crime, our communities should play a role by reporting people who sell stolen properties or those in possession of such. The market for criminals can be closed if we do not purchase items that we suspect to have been somehow stolen. By doing that we can discourage perpetrators from continuing with their dodgy business.” said the General.
