PORT ELIZABETH - POLICE APPREHEND 5 ARMED ROBBERS IN ZWIDE SHORTLY AFTER ROBBERY IN BETHELSDORP

Quick thinking and swift action by members of Tactical Response Team (TRT) assigned to Operation Lockdown resulted in the arrest of five robbery suspects on Wednesday, 21 September 2016.

At 20:00 last night, the complainant (31 years of age) was robbed of cash, cellphones and cigarettes by armed men who allegedly pointed a firearm at him outside his shop in Marrock Road, Bethelsdorp.

The men then sped off in silver Ford Fiesta.

Information was immediately disseminated from the Operational Command Centre of Operation Lockdown to the TRT members deployed in the Bethelsdorp area.

The members positioned themselves at possible entrance routes into the Kwazakele area. Within minutes of the robbery, the vehicle was spotted in Booi Street in Zwide.

Police succeeded in blocking the vehicle and, as the suspects alighted, one of them pointed a firearm at police. The suspect was shot and wounded in his thigh. All five suspects (between 22 and 27 years of age) were arrested.

Two firearms and 22 rounds of ammunition were seized and the stolen property was recovered. The suspects were detained on charges of business robbery, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and possession of suspected stolen property.

The Cluster Commander for Mount Road Cluster, Brigadier Ernie Neveling, commended all those involved in the arrest of the suspects. Good co-ordination, speedy and accurate radio communication and proactive deployment of SAPS members led to the swift arrests.