Police in Thembisa have recovered an illegal assault rifle, loaded with live rounds, after they were called to an armed robbery scene.
The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) said the alleged robbers fled the scene when police arrived, leaving the assault rifle in their getaway Ford Fiesta.
“The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department’s Winnie Mandela, Thembisa precinct and the northern region task team officers recovered an illegal weapon with live rounds in the Thembisa area,” said EMPD spokesperson, Marie Mashishi.
“As law enforcers were patrolling the Thembisa area, they received a tip-off from a reliable source regarding a business armed robbery in progress at Umfeyaneng section, in the Thembisa area. Officers swiftly responded to the mentioned location.”
When the police arrived at the scene, Mashishi said officers noticed two men jumping over the wall and fleeing into the nearby veld.
“As the officers approached, they noticed an unlocked silver Ford Fiesta hatchback inside the yard, with the key still inside. The vehicle was opened and thoroughly searched. A Colt semi-automatic rifle with intact serial numbers, fully loaded with 27 rounds, one magazine and one round (bullet) lying under the seat, were seized,” she said.
“The EMPD armoury officers were summoned to the scene to identify the calibre of the firearm and it was confirmed that the rifle was not registered in the Republic of South Africa.”
A case of recovery of an illegal weapon and ammunition has been registered at the Thembisa South police station.
The vehicle where the assault rifle was found was confiscated for police investigations.
IOL