Durban – The efforts of the police, who traced four suspected armed robbers within hours of the alleged crime, were in vain because the charges were dropped.
Free State police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said the Harrismith police leapt into action after two friends from Mthatha, Eastern Cape, who were on their way to Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, were allegedly robbed in town.
“They were robbed of three cellphones, a car key and cash. The cellphones and car key were recovered,” Mophiring said.
He said on Sunday, June 30, at about 3.50am, the two friends had decided to park their Audi in town and have a nap before hitting the road again.
A few minutes after they parked, they were allegedly surprised by armed men who robbed them. The suspects were driving a white Polo VW without registration plates.
Mophiring said the victims reported the incident to the local police station.
“The Harrismith detectives and Vispol members on duty acted swiftly, managed to spot the vehicle and arrested four suspects at Intabazwe, near Harrismith,” Mophiring said.
The suspects appeared in the Harrismith Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing charges of armed robbery.
“The complainants withdrew the case in court on Monday,” Mophiring said.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident last month, KZN police arrested a suspect in connection with an armed robbery which resulted in a shoot-out with police at the corner of Albany Grove and Margaret Mncadi Avenue (Victoria Embankment) in Durban.
At the time, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said reports indicated that a businessman went into the bank and withdrew money, and when he arrived at the gate of his business premises in eManzimtoti he was allegedly accosted by three armed men. The suspects reportedly robbed the victim of a bag containing his belongings and a small amount of money. The bag containing the large sum of money which the man had just withdrawn was left in his vehicle.
He said the Sydenham Trio Crimes team spotted the suspect’s vehicle at the corner of Broad Street and Victoria Embankment and with the suspects failing to stop, a high-speed chase ensued. The suspects started shooting at the police, sparking a shoot-out. The suspects’ vehicle came to a halt and one suspect was arrested. A search is ongoing for two suspects who narrowly evaded arrest.
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