A rapid intervention by the Mthatha K9 Unit on Monday morning resulted in the arrest of five suspects following an armed robbery near Madeira Street.
The incident occurred at approximately 08:30. According to police reports, a 47-year-old businessman was driving when his vehicle was blocked by another car. Two armed men exited the vehicle and robbed the victim of a bag containing a substantial amount of cash and several cellphones before fleeing.
Police were immediately activated. Utilizing cellphone tracking technology, officers traced the suspects to a homestead in the North Crest residential area, where they identified the Toyota Hilux used in the robbery.
Upon the arrival of police, all five suspects, aged between 22 and 41, attempted to hide in the roof ceiling of the house but were subsequently cornered and arrested.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of the stolen bag containing cash, a tracked cellphone, and bank cards. Authorities also confiscated two 9mm pistols with ammunition. One firearm was licensed, while the other had its serial number filed off.
Further investigation revealed that the Toyota Hilux used in the robbery was linked to an existing carjacking case, bearing a Lingelihle CAS number from July 2024.
The five arrested suspects are scheduled to appear before the Mthatha Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 10 February 2026. They face charges of armed robbery, unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of suspected stolen property, and possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.