Free State - Three men were arrested a few minutes after an armed robbery at a shop in Memel, Free State police said.
Constable Sinah Mpakane said: “Four males driving a white Honda Ballade went to the Bangladeshi owned shop and threatened the owner and two workers with a firearm, on Tuesday.”
Mpakane said the suspects allegedly hit the owner with a firearm in the head and robbed him of cash, airtime and cigarette, then fled the scene.
The value of the stolen property was still unknown, Mpakane said.
“The local CPF chairperson who witnessed the suspicious activities by suspects alerted the police.”
Three suspects aged 22, 26 and 27 were arrested a few streets from the scene, two of the three suspects were found hiding in the toilet and the other one in a nearby bush.
The fourth suspect is still at large, and a firearm and some of the stolen items were found and confiscated, while the firearm will be referred for ballistic test.
A case of armed robbery was registered at Memel SAPS for further investigation.
The three were expected to appear in the Vrede Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
ANA