A suspect was shot dead and five others arrested in Sophiatown. Police recovered a stolen R2 million music system from church robbers.
Key Points:
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A shootout with alleged church robbers fatally wounded one suspect.
- Police recovered a music system worth over R2 million, stolen from a church in Florida.
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Police arrested five suspects, and two required hospitalization for injuries sustained during the shootout.
Police shot and killed a suspect on Monday after a gunfight erupted. It happened between law enforcement officers and a group of alleged criminals in Westdene, Sophiatown.
Shootout in Sophiatown
Gauteng provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, said that officers arrested five other suspects during the shootout. Two of the suspects were hospitalized with injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
“Police believe the suspects are involved in several robberies at churches and other places of worship,” Masondo said. “Officers found unlicensed firearms and music equipment stolen from a church in Florida.”
Law Enforcement Response
The police crime intelligence unit had received a tip. It was about the group’s involvement in a series of armed robberies and break-ins at places of worship across Gauteng. Authorities reported that the group planned to rob a church in Florida. In response, law enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Service (SAPS) counterintelligence unit, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Gauteng’s tactical response and anti-gang units, along with air support from Gauteng traffic police, CAP Specialized Operations, Tracker Connect, and Bad Boyz Security, coordinated efforts to intercept the suspects.
High-Speed Chase and Arrests
While on patrol, officers spotted a Toyota Quantum. The vehicle was spotted by the police who believed it was used by the criminals in the Sophiatown area. When police attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled, sparking a high-speed chase.
“During the pursuit, the suspects began firing at law enforcement officers, prompting a gunfight. These suspects crashed their vehicle into a fence, and officers arrested five suspects, one of whom was fatally wounded. Having one fatally wounded,” Masondo said. “Two of the suspects sustained injuries in the shootout and are under police guard in the hospital. Police recovered three firearms and ammunition.”
Recovered Stolen Property
Upon searching the vehicle, authorities found a music system valued at more than R2 million.
The police recovered the stolen music system from a church in Florida. They also seized the Toyota Quantum used by the alleged robbers.
“Police will profile the suspects, and they will send the firearms for ballistic testing to determine if the weapons were used in previous crimes,” Masondo added.
