JACOBSDAL – A 17-year-old teenager and his 25-year-old accomplice will appear in court on a charge of business robbery after stealing money, chocolates and coffee from a tuckshop in Jacobsdal.

It is alleged that on Thursday 23 July at approximately 16:30, the complainant was inside the Elon Tuckshop in Jacobsdal in the Free State when two young males entered the premises, both holding knives.

The suspects attacked the complainant, injuring him on his left hand and near his left eye, before making off with a box containing money, a box of PS chocolates, a box of Dairy Milk chocolates and coffee. The total value of the stolen goods is R2 393.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Sinah Mpakane said a case of business robbery was opened and investigations led to the arrest of both suspects.

The two will appear in the Jacobsdal Magistrate’s Court soon.

Teenagers frequently involved

While the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not publicly release current statistics for teenage arrests specifically, extensive criminology research and institutional reports highlight a pervasive trend of youth involvement in crime, according to a report by Stats SA.

The report states that teenagers in South Africa are frequently involved in robberies, both as perpetrators and as victims.

Criminologists point out that the primary perpetrators of street-level and aggravated robberies are disproportionately young people. In urban areas and informal settlements, youth involvement in armed robbery is consistently rising, according to an article in Daily Maverick.

Youth crime driven by multiple factors

Some young people pursue criminal activities for monetary or material gain, while others commit crimes to gain prestige. Many are shaped by social and political circumstances that limit their opportunities. Being raised in socially disadvantaged communities could be the prime cause of youth crime, as these communities often become breeding grounds for potential offenders trying to make ends meet, according to a research paper from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

According to Child Justice Inter-Departmental Annual Reports, teenagers aged 16 and 17 account for roughly 68,7% of all children processed through preliminary court inquiries. While violent assault and theft remain the top individual charges, robbery is classified as a top-tier offence driving many of these formal court cases.

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