Brutal double murder after botched robbery in Northern Cape – three suspects arrested
A botched robbery ended in a brutal double killing, with three suspects arrested in the Northern Cape.
Image: File
WHAT began as an attempted tuck shop robbery in the early hours of Saturday morning spiralled into a deadly double shooting in the Tsineng area - and ended with a dramatic late-night police raid nearly 20 hours later.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers said the shooting incident took place between the villages of Ganap and Laxey.
Just after 4am on 14 June, a group of around six would-be robbers allegedly targeted a local tuck shop. But before they could make off with anything, they were confronted by community members and fled the scene empty-handed.
The escape, however, turned brutal.
Shortly after the foiled robbery, one of the fleeing suspects is believed to have stopped a passing vehicle and gunned down its occupants - a 38-year-old driver and his 32-year-old passenger. It is believed the suspect may have intended to use the vehicle as a getaway car but was unable to start it, abandoning it at the roadside before disappearing into the night.
The passenger died at the scene, while the driver succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
With two lives lost and the community in shock, the police launched a 72-hour activation plan, deploying specialised units and intelligence teams to track down the suspects.
By 11.20pm the same day, acting on information received, officers stormed a house in Mothibistad and arrested three men aged between 27 and 39 in connection with the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, with the police hunting for the remaining suspects. Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward, assuring the public that all tips will be treated with strict confidentiality.
Tip-offs can be shared with Captain Mothibedi Setlhabi at 082 416 3338, the Crime Stop line at 08600 10111, or anonymously via the MySAPS app.
Northern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola has meanwhile praised the swift and co-ordinated response by officers, which led to the three successful arrests within hours of the deadly incident.