MPUMALANGA police have launched a manhunt for a gang of five criminals who bombed a filling station at Costas in KwaGuqa, Emalahleni, before stealing an undisclosed amount.
It happened on Tuesday, 24 May at about 3am.
Frightened workers told police that the five suspects, two armed with guns, and one armed with iron bar, planted explosives in the cash safe, before forcing all the workers into the station kitchen.
“We then heard a terrible explosion thrice, and a cloud of smoke filled the shop. The next thing the gang took items belonging to some of our workers, before looting the cash from the tills. They then fired several shots outside before fleeing the scene,” said one of the workers.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said: “A filling station at Costas in KwaGuqa was bombed and as a result, cases of business robbery and malicious damage to property were registered for investigation.
“This incident came to the attention of police and when they responded to the crime scene, they found that the front windows of the garage shop were severely damaged, stock was scattered all over, the roof was blasted open and the employees who were on duty at the garage were found outside the shop in a state of shock.
“Police started with their preliminary investigation in which they were informed that five suspects, two armed with firearms and one with an iron bar, planted explosives in a safe and chased all the employees to the kitchen. While in the kitchen, they heard a huge explosion three times and smoke filled the shop,” he said.
Mohlala said the estimated damage at the shop was about R900 000.
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects is asked to contact Detective Colonel Helen Masombuka on 082 303 9938.
