A vehicle stolen during a business robbery in Botshabelo on July 10 has been recovered in Ramakgari, Thaba Nchu. The police arrested a 46-year-old suspect, who is currently on parole, after the car was found on his property on July 17.
According to police spokesperson Motsamai Kareli, the vehicle was taken during a violent robbery at a local shop in Section U, Botshabelo. Armed men stormed the shop at around 20:00, holding two shopkeepers at gunpoint while demanding cash and smartphones. The suspects assaulted the victims during the robbery before fleeing the scene with one of the victims’ car keys, driving off in a blue Volkswagen Touran.
Boithuso police responded promptly, leading to the opening of cases for business robbery and theft of a motor vehicle.
A breakthrough occurred on July 17 when police received a tip-off regarding the stolen vehicle’s whereabouts in Thaba Nchu.
Acting on this information, they searched a residential property in the Ramakgari location, where they discovered the stolen Volkswagen hidden inside a garage. The vehicle had visible damage, and the homeowner was found inside the house and subsequently arrested.
Kareli mentioned that preliminary investigations revealed the suspect had previously been sentenced to six years in prison in 2023 and was on parole at the time of his arrest. He now faces charges for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle, as well as the original charges of business robbery and theft of a motor vehicle.
Meanwhile, the Botshabelo Police have launched a manhunt for the remaining suspects involved in the initial robbery.
