Swift reaction by the police led to the arrest of four suspects aged between 23 and 49 within hours after the Somerset East Post Office was robbed yesterday 10 May 2019 at about 12:00.
Valuable information shared by a vigilant community member led the police to the suspects. A joint operation was conducted including members of Somerset-East and Cookhouse Visible Policing, Graaff-Reinet Operational Command Centre and the K9 Unit.
Two of the three suspects were arrested as they were crossing the river bank on their way to a hiking spot on the N10 National road. The suspects were found in possession of three firearms with live ammunition which were confiscated. Further information led the police to another suspect at Bongweni locality in Cookhouse. Upon searching the premises, the suspect was found in possession of an undisclosed amount of money. The final arrest was executed in Somerset-East where one of the post office employee’s was arrested.
All four suspects will appear soon in the Somerset East Magistrates’ Court on charges relating to possession of suspected stolen money and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga commended all the members involved in the execution of this joint operation between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock Clusters which led to the successful apprehension and arrest of the perpetrators. “When we co-ordinate our operations, swift results are achieved. These arrests are an indication that police throughout the province are on high alert even in our rural and semi-urban towns”, she said.
