A syndicate of skelms, believed to be behind the Mount Nelson Hotel robbery this week, is behind bars after they were caught by wakker Cape Flats cops.
Grassy Park SAPS commander, Col. Dawood Laing, says five men were arrested on Wednesday shortly after noon and just minutes before they were about to rob a Claremont store.
He says the station received a tip-off at 11.45am following a robbery at Pep Stores in Pelican Park on Tuesday.
“They robbed Pep Stores on Tuesday and took cash and cellphones. They were armed and threatened the staff and were seen fleeing in a Toyota Avanza,” Laing says.
Police confiscated a gas gun. Picture supplied
Later that same day 15 balaclava-clad skelmsstormed the Mount Nelson Hotel after threatening to kill a security guard at the gate.
Police say the armed robbers were driving a white Toyota Corolla and VW Polo and took R6000 cash and beads valued at R50 000.
Laing says after the Pelican Park robbery, cops received the tip-off that the gang of skurke were in Claremont.
“They were about to rob a cellphone shop, but the officers got them,” he says.
“One of them, with a firearm, jumped out and three men escaped in a VW Polo which is believed to be involved in the Mount Nelson robbery.
“Officers arrested five men in an Avanza and found a gas gun in the vehicle.”
The skelms used this Toyota Avanza during their heists. Picture supplied
He says the men, aged between 24 and 31, from Nyanga, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha, will face a string of charges, including armed robbery at Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
“Officers are now investigating whether they can be linked to a spate of other robberies where the same modus operandi was used.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za