Three shot dead after robbery in Witbank centre

(Photo: Screenshot from video/Provided by police)

Three suspects were shot dead on Wednesday after a robbery at a jewelery shop in a shopping center in eMalahleni (Witbank).

According to the police, at least eight armed suspects raided a jewelery shop in the Highveld Mall and held a security guard and an employee of the shop at gunpoint before fleeing with an unknown amount of jewellery.

The police and private security companies were notified of the robbery and responded quickly. The suspects fled in different getaway vehicles, but were stopped shortly afterwards and three suspects were shot dead. The other suspects managed to flee the scene and are still at large.

A Toyota RAV4 with false number plates, which was used as a getaway car, was seized. Some of the stolen jewelry was found in the car. Firearms and ammunition were also seized.

(Photo: Screenshot from video/Provided by police)

The seized firearms will be sent for ballistics tests to determine if they were used in the commission of other crimes.

The police have filed a case of robbery, while the independent police investigation directorate (Opod) will investigate the circumstances that led to the death of the three suspects.