Medical Practice Robbed of Cellphones, Laptops, 2 Men Arrested in Shootout with Cops

• Two people were arrested during a shootout with police after they allegedly held up a surgery in Johannesburg
• The two men will be profiled to establish a possible link to countless other crime incidents at surgeries in Gauteng
• The suspects will make their first appearance at a court in Johannesburg to face a slew of charges, including business robbery

RANDBURG - Two suspects are in custody for allegedly robbing a medical practice near Montgomery Park in Randburg, Johannesburg, on 10 January.

According to Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, police received information about a robbery in progress at a surgery situated in Roosevelt Park and, at about 9 am, set up surveillance outside the establishment.

Masondo told Briefly News that the robbers were observed exiting the premises, and when confronted by police, jumped into their getaway car and sped off. A high-speed chase and shootout ensued before the assailants lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole.

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"One suspect was shot and taken to the hospital under police guard while the second suspect was detained without injuries. Police managed to recover an unlicensed handgun and cellphones as well as laptops taken from the surgery," said Masondo.

Suspect face several serious charges

"The suspects will be profiled to establish a link to other crimes as there have been numerous robberies at surgeries in Gauteng," added Masondo, who would not divulge information to Briefly News on the other medical practices that have been targeted.

Instead, Masondo cited that information not released to the media formed part of ongoing investigations. At the time of publication, the condition of the suspect who sustained a gunshot wound was unknown.

The pair is facing charges of business robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and suspected stolen property, and will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 11 January.

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Elsewhere, Briefly News previously reported that the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested a 31-year-old man for his alleged involvement in the notorious extortion syndicate, Boko Haram, operating in Pretoria.

Masondo said the man was suspected of being involved in intimidation, business robbery and extortion. He is also accused of violent crimes. According to EWN, the man was scheduled to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on 28 December.

It is suspected that Boko Haram and a faction who broke away from the group have been engaged in conflict, leading to the deaths of at least nine people in Mamelodi. News24 reports that the man has not been charged for the murders at this time.

Source: Briefly News