Bank robbery suspects arrested

By Henry Booysen
11 April 2008

Yesterday police arrested five men in connection with the bank robbery that took place in Vangate Mall, Athlone.

According to police spokesperson Billy Jones suspects had entered the bank posing as clients and shortly thereafter the suspect held the bank’s staff and clients at gunpoint.

“The staff was robbed of an undisclosed amount of money that was taken from the tellers. The clients were robbed of their cellular phones and other small items,” says Jones.

Jones said that after the robbery the suspects fled in a white BMW where another suspect was waiting in outside the mall. The vehicle was found abandoned by police in Bridgetown, Athlone.

The arrest of the suspects took place yesterday evening when police were doing foot patrols where they do random searching of persons in Green Market Square.

“When the men noticed that police were approaching they ran off. The members gave chase and managed to apprehend one of the men in Adderley Street. He was searched and polices seized about R50 000 cash and two knives in his possession.”

The man was formally arrested after being taken in for questioning.

The arrest of the other four men happened over night in the respective regions of Green Point and Khayelitsha and police managed to seize a large amount of money and an illegal firearm.

“The suspects one local and four from Gauteng are facing armed robbery charges and are scheduled to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s court on Monday,” Jones