Angel, an African Grey Parrot was stolen from her home in KwaZulu-Natal. Theft is a punishable offence by law. Image: iStock
10 armed men arrested for stokvel theft – more suspects at large
Police traced and found ten men armed with pistols who are allegedly behind the theft of stokvel money after they robbed women of cash.
Angel, an African Grey Parrot was stolen from her home in KwaZulu-Natal. Theft is a punishable offence by law. Image: iStock
Ten suspects, armed with pistols, are behind bars for robbing ladies of their stokvel cash in Limpopo.
One of the suspects was allegedly caught by the community after he held people hostage. He was however stoned to death for the robbery, said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
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POLICE NAB SUSPECTS BEHIND STOKVEL THEFT
Limpopo Highway Patrol in Sekhukhune were conducting their usual patrol on Friday. They received a backup call from police in Jane Furse about a robbery, Mojapelo said.
“They immediately went to the scene and upon arrival, they established that about ten suspects, armed with pistols, allegedly robbed stokvel ladies an amount of cash estimated to be around R55 000.”
Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo
COMMUNITY RETALIATION TO ROBBERS LEADS TO HOSTAGE
While many of the suspects managed to escape the community, one was caught and was stoned to death.
It then came out that the community continued to chase another suspect, who entered Jane Furse Memorial Hospital. The armed man held security personnel hostage at gunpoint, Mojapelo said.
“Members of the Highway Patrol, together with Operational Respond Services (ORS), joined forces to rescue the security guard and the 26-year-old suspect was arrested on the spot,” he said.
Other suspects involved in the theft fled the scene in a bakkie, which was later found abandoned at Mamone village. The hunt for the remaining suspects continues.
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Limpopo provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has applauded the prompt arrest of the stokvel theft suspects.
“The speedy reaction by the members, which led to the arrest of the suspect, is highly commendable. The remaining suspects must be hunted down and be brought to book. We, however, strongly warn community members to desist from taking the law into their own hands and must instead work with the police to fight crime,” Hadebe said.
Police are investigating cases of murder too.
The suspects appeared before the Sekhukhune Magistrate’s Court this week. They face charges of armed robbery and possession of illegal firearm and ammunition.
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