On Thursday, 8th Dec 2022 at 09:00 members of Ekhurleni North Task Team were patrolling around Lekaneng Section in Tembisa searching for a hijacked Nissan NP200 with a Takealot sticker.
While patrolling they heard a gun shot at Moedi Section in Tembisa next to a Spaza shop and spotted a blue Toyota Etios that was accelerating, running away from the scene.
One of the community members informed the Metro Police officers that the blue vehicle robbed the spaza shop.
Members followed the vehicle until Vusimusi Section, Tembisa where the suspects commenced to shoot towards the police through an open window.
The police shot back towards them. The suspects vehicle hit a pavement and rolled. Three suspects ran away and the police officers gave chase.
One suspect was carrying a pistol and went straight to the river and jumped into the water. When he got out of the water he was no longer in possession of a firearm, one community member apprehended him and handed him to the police .
Two of the suspects were caught by the police officers while the the other two suspects were trapped inside the vehicle when it was rolling.
All five suspects who were in the vehicle were apprehended and one sustained gun wounds and he was taken to Tembisa Hospital where he is under police guard.
A pellet gun with nine ammunitions, a toy gun and eight different types of cell phones were recovered from the scene.
Two cellphones were identified by the owner of the spaza shop. The suspects were also linked with Norkem Park SAPS Armed robbery case of December 2022 and Tembisa South SAPS armed robbery. The victim of armed robbery identified them at the scene including the vehicle.
The vehicle is used as an Uber and the suspects used false Registration number on top of the real Registration number. The owner is allegedly staying at Norkem Park. According to one of the suspects, from Ethafeni section Tembisa, when he was interviewed he said he wanted money for Christmas especially the children.
The Suspects aged 26, 27, 30, 37 and 42 were detained at Tembisa Cells and will appear before the Tembisa Magistrates Court soon.
The suspects have been charged with with Business Robbery, Possession of Dangerous Weapons, Ammunitions, Suspected stolen goods and attempted murder of Metro Officers.
