Pretoria – An off-duty police officer’s intervention led to the arrest of a 26-year-old business robbery suspect at Mhluzi Mall near Middelburg.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the incident happened on Monday.
It is said the alleged armed robber and his accomplice got into one of the chain stores at Mhluzi Mall and robbed employees of eight cellphones.
“Information at the police’s disposal indicates that after the suspects pointed employees with a ‘firearm’, they allegedly broke the glass door where mobile phones were kept. Upon seeing that, the off-duty police officer who was at the ATM, left everything he was doing at the time and intervened,” said Mohlala.
“It is further said that the alleged robber then pointed the police officer with a ‘firearm’ compelling the officer to protect his life, where he fired a shot, hitting the suspect on his left hand. As a result, the suspect dropped the 'firearm' and took to his heels.”
Mohlala said unfortunately during the squabble, a 32-year-old innocent passer-by also sustained some injuries on his head and was rushed to hospital for medical attention.
“Community members pursued and apprehended the suspect who was in possession of a ‘firearm’ and he was reportedly found still in possession of the suspected stolen mobile phones. It is said that in the process of his apprehension, he sustained some injuries in the hands of community members but was later rescued by a CPF (community policing forum) member,” he said.
“Members of the police from Mhluzi were summoned to the scene and the suspect was arrested and then taken to hospital for medical treatment.”
The arrested man is facing a charge of possession of suspected stolen property and police said he could possibly be linked to the business robbery.
Upon investigation, it was established that the suspect's ‘firearm’ was a toy gun.
Mohlala said the Independence Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) was notified about the incident and they will conduct their own probe into the shooting.
“The other suspect, who earlier vanished into thin air during the time when his fellow got arrested, was also cornered and arrested (on Tuesday) after members of the community informed police that they spotted him in the mall,” he said.
The 22-year-old male suspect was charged with business robbery and is expected to appear in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court today, alongside the injured suspect who faces the same charges.
The injured 26-year-old will face an additional charge of possession of suspected stolen property.
“Police cannot rule out the possibility of linking the two to other criminal activities committed elsewhere where more charges against them are expected as the investigation continues,” Mohlala said.
Provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has commended the commitment displayed by the off-duty police officer, and thanked community members for their intervention.
IOL