An armed robbery of the PEP store in Devereux Avenue, Vincent, East London, resulted in three suspects getting away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said: “The robbery happened just before midday yesterday . Police were on the scene just minutes after receiving the call.
“Witnesses claimed there were three suspects who were armed with firearms. No shots were fired and no one was injured. The men got away with an undisclosed amount of cash,” he said.
In another incident in Amalinda, East London on Thursday, a 48-year-old man was arrested after he was found to be in possession of stolen refuse bags, which are suspected to belong to the Buffalo City Metro.
Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala, of the SAPS, said: “Scenery Park Crime Prevention members followed up information about a bakkie that was loading the refuse bags from another car in Amalinda. They spotted the bakkie, stopped it, and asked for permission to search it. Unfortunately the car was no longer there.
“The members recovered a lot of refuse bags, suspected to belong to the municipality, in the back of the bakkie.”
The man will appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court, said Mqala.
In an unrelated incident on Tuesday night, a vehicle which attempted to run a police vehicle off the road in Mthatha, was found to contain unlicensed firearms.
Lieutenant Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said: “Police in Mthatha who were on night duty operations, tried to stop a vehicle which attempted to run a police vehicle off the road on Tuesday night. A high-speed car chase ensued between the police and the suspect.
“The vehicle was cornered but the driver managed to evade arrest.
“After searching the vehicle, police found unlicensed firearms and ammunition, two balaclavas and two sets of gloves.
“The owner of the vehicle and another two suspects, linked to the firearms, were arrested in East London soon after the incident. All three will be appearing in court,” he said.
“Police are trying to link the vehicle that was confiscated and the firearms recovered to an earlier cash-in-transit armed robbery,” said Fatyela.
The heist took place between Mthatha and Qumbu.