Swift action sees two held after Uitenhage gaming outlet robbery

Swift action by Uitenhage police led to the arrest of two men allegedly involved in an armed robbery at a gaming outlet in the garden town on Sunday morning.

Police spokesperson Col Priscilla Naidu said it was alleged that at about 5.30am the manager of the gaming outlet in Union Drive, and his fiancé, were abducted from his home in Wells Estate by unidentified men.

The manager was then forced into a red double-cab Isuzu bakkie and his fiancé was pushed into a silver VW Polo.

At about  6.15am the suspects took the manager to the gaming venue were a security guard on duty noticed the manager and three unidentified males in the bakkie, Naidu said.

The manager and the two passengers were dropped off and the vehicle drove off.

“The two security guards became suspicious and followed them inside.

“They had firearms pointed at them by the two armed men and were tied up with cable ties.

“When another manager entered, he was forced to open the safe and an undisclosed amount of money was taken,” Naidu said.

The suspects then drove off in the security guard’s vehicle, a grey and green Toyota Avanza.

“The alert for the robbery was immediately channelled to all operational members and at about 9am the Toyota Avanza was spotted on the R75 near Chatty,” Naidu said.

The Port Elizabeth K9 unit and Flying Squad arrested a 70-year-old man and recovered the stolen vehicle.

A second suspect in his 20s was arrested at a house in NU 2 in Motherwell and the red Isuzu bakkie recovered, Naidu said.

One suspect was detained on charges of kidnapping, vehicle hijacking and business robbery while the other was detained on charges of kidnapping and business robbery.

None of the cash has been recovered.

The suspects were expected to appear in the Uitenhage Magistrate's Court soon, Naidu said.

HeraldLIVE