An ex-pupil was arrested and a shotgun used in the commission of the crime was recovered after educators were robbed at Lockhat High School in Osindisweni – KZN.
Two suspects entered the female staff room and held up eight educators. One of the robbers was armed with a shotgun. They stole several handbags containing cash and cellphones before they fled on foot. The suspect’s faces were covered with masks. As they fled, one of the robbers called out to his accomplice by name. Educators realised that he was an ex-pupil of the school.
The robbers fired shots as they entered a dense bush. The sound of the gunfire attracted the attention of the public who attempted to apprehend them.
The Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Operations Center received multiple calls from residents in the area requesting assistance to apprehend the duo. Reaction Officers were dispatched to the scene while the RUSA Helicopter lifted off at 10:46 to provide aerial support.
While conducting a search, Reaction Officers received information from a SAPS Official based at King Shaka International Airport that one of the robbers was hiding at a relative’s house in Osindisweni – KZN. The Policeman directed Reaction Officers to the residence telephonically.
On arrival, a family member directed Officers to a room where they had locked the suspect. Upon entering, RUSA Members located the 22-year-old hiding under the bed. He was placed under arrest.
During an interview, he confirmed that the second suspect was his cousin. They planned the robbery and their escape route however split up after they heard the RUSA Helicopter hovering above them. He also stated that the shotgun used in the robbery was discarded in a bush. He went in to explain that he stole the weapon during the July 2021 unrest after its owner was shot in the Verulam CBD – KZN.
Officers from the Umhlali SAPS K9 Unit were called to the scene. On arrival, the suspect led Reaction Officers and Policemen several hundred meters down a hill where the shotgun was recovered amongst dense vegetation.
The stolen handbags were also recovered. The barrel exploded after the robber fired the gun close to the ground. A search was conducted for the second suspect however he still remains at large.
A 51-year-old female educator was transported to the hospital after she suffered an anxiety attack.
Ex-Pupil arrested for school robbery in Osindisweni https://t.co/zV59TcVLcI #ArriveAlive #SchoolRobbery #ReactionUnitSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/vr2NjAdgcc
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) April 20, 2022