Pretoria - Armed assailants attacked police officers at Grootvlei police station in Mpumalanga and forcefully took three 9mm pistols, one R5 rifle and one shotgun as well as about 180 bullets.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the assailants took one pistol from a police officer, and the other firearms were seized from the safe of the police station.
“The incident occurred between Friday night, 02 September 2022 and early hours of Saturday, 03 September 2022. According to the report, two suspects arrived at the police station on Friday evening, 02 September 2022 around 18h00 claiming to be from Soshanguve under the pretence of reporting a domestic violence incident,” said Mohlala.
“They played victims as if they needed help from the two members who were working at the community service centre (CSC) regarding a female who was a ‘victim’ of domestic violence. The CSC's safety door was locked at that point and they initially left and only to return later around 22h00 where they complained that their concern was being disregarded by the members.”
During this second visit, the group insisted that the door should be opened for them.
“The members [police officers] opened the door to obtain more information. As soon as they let them in, two suspects drew firearms and disarmed the two police officials,” said Mohlala.
“The suspects then held the members hostage, tied them up with cable ties, forced them inside the holding cells and ransacked the police station where they took keys to the safe and stole the said firearms with ammunition.”
One community member, who arrived at the police station during the robbery incident, was also held hostage.
“One of the suspects is said to have pointed him with a firearm as he passed through the door of the CSC. They tied him up with cable ties as well and placed him in the kitchen, seperate from where the two members were held,” said Mohlala.
“The suspects then fled the scene with the robbed items and the member of the public managed to untie himself. He went to the holding cells then the members advised him accordingly to summon for help.”
Mohlala said a “72-hours activation plan” was put in place and police are on the lookout for the suspects.
Provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has “strongly” condemned the incident and vowed that the perpetrators will be arrested.
“We will not rest until each one of the suspects is put behind bars and all firearms with ammunition are back in our hands. We have much trust and hope to the well formidable team, they will surely bring the results soon,” said Mohlala.
Last month, two police officers were robbed of their service firearms and locked in the back of their van in Wells Estate, Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape.
The officers were attending to a murder scene when they were robbed, allegedly by three armed men.
IOL