Home South African Armed men storm police station, make off with firearms and ammunition

Armed men storm police station, make off with firearms and ammunition

429
The Malamulele police station was robbed of several firearms while police officers were held up in a van. Picture: SAPS

THE LIMPOPO police are hunting a gang that held officers at gunpoint and stole weapons from Malamule police station, near Thohoyandou.

The group of armed suspects stormed into the station and held officers at gunpoint on Sunday night.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the suspects took R5 rifles, 9mm pistols, shotguns and an undisclosed amount of ammunition.

She said: “At about 11pm a group of armed suspects stormed the Malamulele police station and held members at gunpoint in the Community Service Centre.”

She added that some members were forced into the back of a police van while one member was ordered to unlock the safe where the suspects took the weapons and ammunition.

The Malamulele police station was robbed of several firearms. Picture: SAPS

“Following the attack on the police station, the group proceeded to a local food outlet and filling station in the vicinity, where they robbed the businesses of an undisclosed amount of cash.

“All role-players, including a multidisciplinary team consisting of crime scene experts and specialised units within the SAPS, are combing the scene and are in pursuit of the heavily-armed men.”

“Services at the police station were temporarily affected during the armed robbery. The SAPS can now confirm that the police station is now fully functional and accessible to members of the public,” Mathe said.

The acting national commissioner of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant-General Franscinah Vuma, has directed the provincial commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, to implement the 72-hour activation following the attack.

Hadebe and her management team visited the crime scene and have implemented the activation plan.

Previous articleCondolences for SA man killed in ’terror attack’ in Jerusalem
Next articleGermany debates compulsory vaccination as fourth Covid wave rages