Four robbery suspects shot dead by police in Randfontein
Four suspected robbers were killed in a shootout with the police in Randfontein, west of Johannesburg, Gauteng.
Police said the men were killed on Tuesday morning while they were on their way to commit robbery.
Police said members from Eastern Cape Crime Intelligence alerted Gauteng officers about the suspects who were planning to rob a businessman in Randfontein in the West Rand.
“The police from Gauteng Tactical Response Team, Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit and Fidelity Security were deployed on the road that suspects were going to use. A white Toyota Starlet that matched the description was spotted at Ventersdorp Road in Randfontein, with four occupants.
“As the police were stopping the car, suspects started shooting at the police and shootout ensued. All four suspects were fatally wounded, and three firearms were recovered,” said police in a statement.
Police recovered three firearms: a rifle and two pistols used by the suspects.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects’ car was fitted with false registration numbers.
In another similar matter last month, four suspects were killed in a shoot-out with police in Riverlea, south of Johannesburg following a business robbery in the city’s central business district.
The crime intelligence-driven operation was conducted on Sunday, July 13.
The operation was conducted by a multidisciplinary team, including members of the Gauteng Tactical Response Team, Anti-Gang Unit, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations Tracking Team, Gauteng Traffic Police Air Wing, SAPS National Counterintelligence, CAP Specialised Operations, Bad Boyz Security and Tracker Connect.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said the operation followed a robbery at a shop in Johannesburg Central earlier on Sunday morning.
“When the members attempted to stop the suspects at Riverlea, the suspects opened fire, leading to a shoot-out,” Sibeko said.
Three suspects were fatally shot during the exchange, and a fourth was declared dead by paramedics at the scene, despite not sustaining any visible injuries, Sibeko said.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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