- A 41-year-old man is in police custody for the alleged robbery of a Northern Cape police station.
- Eight pistols, three rifles and two shot guns with live ammunition were recovered.
- Two robbers are still at large.
A 41-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly robbing a Northern Cape police station and making off with firearms and ammunition.
The robbery took place on Saturday just before 22:00 when three men entered the Tsineng police station and overpowered the only officer on duty. Two of them jumped over the service counter and pointed a gun at her.
They asked her for firearms and used the keys to the safe – held in the constable's pocket – to open the safe.
The men took three R5 rifles with two magazines and 37 rounds of ammunition, 12 bore pump action guns with 103 rounds of ammunition and eight 9mm pistols with five magazines and 98 rounds of ammunition. They also took the officer's cellphone before tying her up with cables and fled.
No shots were fired, and the constable was not injured.
The police officer managed to free herself and call a colleague for help.
Investigators traced the cellphone to the nearby Maipeying village, but neither the guns nor the perpetrators were found during a search.
On Tuesday, a multi-disciplinary team arrested the 41-year-old man for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, said Hawks spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi.
"The investigation team followed up on information provided by the public about the suspect's alleged involvement in the Tsineng police station robbery that took place on Saturday in Kuruman," Mnisi said.
"The investigation team recovered all firearms and ammunition. The team is anticipating more arrests," Mnisi said.
The man is expected to appear in the Kuruman Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
"While the speedy arrest by the SAPS is commendable, the community must also be lauded for bringing forward information that has led to the arrest. Let this be a lesson for criminals who think they can hide – that communities are sick and tired of crime and are increasingly working together with the police to squeeze out crime," Police Minister Bheki Cele said.
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