NELSPRUIT - Police are in pursuit of suspects involved in a robbery incident that occurred in a certain fuel station at Embalenhle in the early hours of today, Thursday 22 December 2022 around 03:20 am.

During the incident it is alleged that a group of armed suspects detonated some explosives which damaged an ATM machine and suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of cash which they took from the said machine.

According to the report, a group of about four armed suspects wearing masks and hand gloves are said to have stormed into the fuel station where they held the staff at gunpoint. It is then that they (suspects) went for the ATM machine and carried out their mission. Law enforcement agencies were activated via a panic button and the security guards responded accordingly.

Prior to the suspects fleeing with the cash, they noticed the security officials arriving and reportedly fired some shots towards the guards who had responded. One of the shots reportedly hit the guards' response vehicle, leaving it with a bullet hole but fortunately no injuries were reported.

Police at Embalenhle were informed about the robbery and upon arrival, a case of robbery with an additional charge of ATM Bombing was opened. The investigators will also probe the shooting which occurred. There were some cartridges which were found at the scene and an investigation has commenced though no one has been arrested so far hence police urge anyone with information that may assist in the investigation to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has emphasised that the suspects will surely be hunted down and it is just a matter of time before each one of them is brought to book.

Source: South African Police Service