- Three South African nationals and two Batswanas were arrested after a failed cash-in-transit robbery.
- Guns used in the robbery are suspected to be some of the 14 rifles and four pistols stolen from a police station.
- The police said some of those arrested have cases pending against them, or are being investigated.
Three South Africans and two Batswana nationals were arrested by the Botswana Police Services (BPS) on Friday in a foiled cash-in-transit heist of a vehicle in Gaborone.
The police said upon the arrest, "... an AK-47 rifle and three pistols with live ammunition, including an electronic communication jammer were found in possession of the suspects".
The suspects - two Batswana aged 39 and 42 with their South African colleagues, aged 26 to 34, are accused of using a getaway car, suspected to have been stolen.
"A motor vehicle with false registration numbers suspected to be used in the commission of the crime has since been impounded. The vehicle is suspected to have been stolen," the police said.
Stolen guns
On 28 June, Good hope Police Station was raided by four men armed with knives and axes who escaped with 14 rifles and five pistols, and an unknown amount of ammunition.
After offering a P100 000 (about R125 000) reward, police said they have since apprehended two suspects Leatile Kingsley Modise, 25, and Isaac Tsepiso Molale, 35, who appeared before a Lobatse magistrate and were remanded in custody for a 21 July court date.
Police believe the stolen guns are being used for a series of robberies around Botswana, including the latest cash-in-transit attempted robbery.
"Some firearms are suspected to be part of the police weapons that were stolen during a robbery that occurred at Good hope Police Station," BPS said.
Series of armed robberies
The police are convinced that the arrested suspects were part of a syndicate of armed robbers linked to past crimes.
"The suspects are linked to other robbery cases pending before the courts and some under investigation," the police said.
On 14 July, the police said they arrested two suspects, Ledikile Gaboatshwane, 27, and Otsile Kasebonye, 28, linked to a robbery of a Choppies supermarket outlet in Serowe.
The suspects got away with P25 000 (about R31 250).The police linked the suspects to another robbery on 9 July in Palapye where they got away with P15 000 (R18 750) and cellular phones.
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