Guard killed in Polokwane mall robbery

Police arrest a suspect who was allegedly involved in robbing a jewellery shop in Polokwane in which a security guard was killed. PHOTO: ANA

Police arrest a suspect who was allegedly involved in robbing a jewellery shop in Polokwane in which a security guard was killed. PHOTO: ANA

Published Nov 25, 2015

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Polokwane – A mall in Polokwane was closed on Wednesday after armed robbers shot and killed a security guard near a jewellery store. Two suspects were arrested by police.

Police said a group of armed robbers entered the jewellery store, robbed a client and the shop of an undisclosed amount of cash, and when fleeing the scene, shot a guard who was walking along the mall corridor.

Police spokesperson Captain Ntobeng Phala said: “The suspects came out running from the shop and the guard was on the corridor, walking and when he notice the robbery he attempted to grab one suspect and was shot.”

The guard was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Phala said they were still verifying the value of the jewellery that was stolen during the heist.

Eyewitnesses said the guard was walking from the shop where he had just bought his lunch when the incident took place. A 2 litre Coke, sliced polony and a loaf of bread could be seen lying close to his body.

Phala said the security officer was not attached to the store but had been contracted to the mall company.

He said two suspects were arrested after they were linked to the crime through surveillance investigations.

“We found them hiding somewhere along the road, it appears their co-suspects left them behind when they fled the scene,” said Phala.

Other suspects allegedly fled in a white Hilux bakkie, but Phala said preliminary investigations showed that the bakkie had a false registration number plate.

Our investigations shows that the registration number was of a BMW, which means that the suspects had a false number plate,” he said.

African News Agency

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