A group of heavily armed men stormed a filling station, locked employees and customers in a room, bombed a safe, and made off with an undisclosed amount of money in Parys, in the Free State.
According to Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani, a group of about 15 men reportedly armed with assault rifles robbed the filling station in the early hours of Sunday.
She said the group reportedly arrived at the filling station at about 1:40am on Sunday.
"It is further alleged that the suspects were armed with assault rifles and firearms. Upon their entry, they took four employees and two customers to a room and locked them inside. After a while, the victims heard two loud explosions.
"When the employees and customers were finally able to free themselves, they observed that the safe had been bombed.
"The unknown suspects fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash that was taken from the safe and the cash registers as well as stock from the shop."
Sergeant Rani said anyone who may have information or know the whereabouts of these men should contact
Detective Constable Malefane Motloung on 082 603 5265 they could contact their local police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. :Anonymous tip-offs can also be communicated via the My SAPS App from their smartphones," she said.
In the Northern Cape, the police said Benjamin "Bulski" Klaaste, 39, was sentenced to 28 years imprisonment for killing an elderly woman in Richmond in the Northern Cape.
He was sentenced at the Colesberg Magistrate's Court for house breaking and murder.
"The court heard that the victim was last seen at a traditional ceremony on Saturday, October 15, 2022. Her body with visible wounds was discovered on Monday, October 17, 2022, inside her house, and the autopsy also revealed signs of
strangulation," said Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam.
"A suspect was later linked to the crime scene through fingerprints lifted by the police, and an arrest was executed on Saturday, November 12, 2022," Sam said.
Klaaste was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for murder and eight years for housebreaking and theft; the sentences run concurrently.
IOL News