A group of 10 heavily armed men stormed a filling station in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, in the early hours of Monday morning, robbing the business, hijacking vehicles, and shooting a customer. The incident occurred at a filling station in Ha Budeli, where the suspects reportedly struck at around 2:30am.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the suspects entered the premises and immediately took control of the situation. “The suspects ordered employees and customers to cooperate before proceeding to the store, where they forced open a safe and stole an undisclosed amount of cash,” Ledwaba said.
Robbery and Hijackings
During the robbery, the gang also hijacked several vehicles belonging to customers and an employee. Some of the vehicles have since been recovered after being abandoned in different areas. Police confirmed that the recovered vehicles include a blue Ford Raptor, a black Polo sedan, and a white Ford Ranger Wildtrak.
A list of the stolen items and vehicles includes:
- a white Polo GTI
- a Ford Figo
- an undisclosed amount of cash
Investigation and Manhunt
Investigators believe the suspects communicated in local languages during the crime. “Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects communicated in Tshivenda and Sepedi during the commission of the crime,” Ledwaba said. Limpopo Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has strongly condemned the incident and ordered urgent action. The South African Police Service is working to establish the registration details of the missing vehicles.
A male customer was shot during the ordeal and is currently receiving medical treatment in hospital. The police are appealing to the public for assistance as the search for the suspects intensifies. Anyone with information is urged to share information anonymously via the MySAPS app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
