Gauteng police have launched a manhunt for three robbers who stormed into Devon police station, in the Ekurhuleni District, and stole three R5 rifles, seven 9mm pistols and ammunition.
The police’s Employee Health and Wellness unit has been deployed to the station to provide psychosocial services to the affected members.
Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has deployed maximum resources in a bid to apprehend those who were behind the attack.
Mathe said that according to a preliminary investigation, three suspects entered the station during the early hours of Wednesday morning, under the pretence that they were reporting a hijacking incident.
“The suspects proceeded to disarm members on duty and made off with 10 firearms. Of those, three were rifles and seven pistols that were in the safe. Police are investigating,” Mathe said.
She said Mawela and his management team were at the station
The trend of robbing police stations is not unheard if in the country. Just last month, three armed robbers attacked Grootvlei police station in the small Mpumalanga mining town near Balfour. They stole three 9mm pistols, an R5 rifle, a shotgun and about 180 live rounds of ammunition.
The robbery has raised concern among South Africans, some who took to Twitter to question citizens’ safety when police were victims of robbery.
Letlhogonolo Nols wrote: “Is this the same police that are supposed to protect us?”
Thabo Ngoasheng wrote: “We really need security companies to protect our men and women in blue. They are in danger.”
The Star