GQEBERHA – The swift response and coordinated efforts by members attached to the KwaZakhele SAPS Social Crime Prevention Unit have resulted in the arrest of six suspects following a business robbery at a local primary school in KwaZakhele.

According to SAPS spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, it is alleged that on Tuesday, 28 July, at approximately 09:00, three armed suspects entered the principal’s office at a primary school in Tubali Street, KwaZakhele.

“The suspects threatened the principal with firearms before robbing him of a laptop, tablet, cellphone and vehicle keys,” she said. “The principal was then locked inside his office.”

Janse van Rensburg added that the suspects subsequently moved through the school premises, entering the staff kitchen and classrooms where they robbed staff members of additional laptops, tablets, cellphones and vehicle keys before fleeing the scene on foot.

“Following the incident, members of the KwaZakhele SAPS Social Crime Prevention Unit immediately responded and conducted patrols in the surrounding area based on information received,” she said. “Three men matching the description of the suspects were spotted.”

Janse van Rensburg said that upon noticing the police vehicle, one of the suspects dropped a grey backpack before the group fled on foot. Members gave chase and successfully apprehended one juvenile suspect.

“Inside the backpack, police recovered two laptops, a tablet and laptop chargers,” she said. “The recovered property was positively identified by the school principal as items stolen during the robbery.”

Janse van Rensburg added that further investigation and intelligence-driven operations conducted on Wednesday, 29 July, led police to additional suspects believed to have been involved in the robbery.

“In total, six suspects, aged between 16 and 25 years, were arrested,” she said. “Police are investigating the possibility of linking the suspects to other serious crimes committed in the Motherwell area and surrounding policing precincts.”

The suspects are expected to appear in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court today, 31 July, on charges of business robbery.

“The investigation is continuing, and additional charges may be added as more information becomes available,” Janse van Rensburg concluded.

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