Six arrested after armed robbery at Kwazakhele primary school; one juvenile detained

Six suspects aged between 16 and 25 were arrested after an alleged armed robbery at a primary school in Kwazakhele, Eastern Cape, police said. The incident happened on a Tuesday morning at about 9am, when three armed men entered the school and targeted the principal and staff.

How the robbery unfolded

According to the South African Police Service, the three suspects entered the principal’s office on Tubali Street and threatened the principal with firearms. They stole a laptop, a tablet, a cellphone and vehicle keys, and the principal was locked inside his office.

The suspects then moved through the school premises, entering the staff kitchen and classrooms and robbed staff members of additional laptops, cell phones and vehicle keys before fleeing on foot.

Police response and recovered items

Members of the Kwazakhele Social Crime Prevention Unit conducted patrols in the surrounding area. Officers spotted three males matching the suspects’ descriptions. One suspect dropped a grey backpack before the group left on foot upon noticing the police vehicle.

A juvenile was apprehended after a chase. Inside the backpack police recovered two laptops, a tablet and laptop chargers. The principal positively identified the recovered items as those taken during the robbery.

Further investigation and court appearance

Police said further investigations and operations on Wednesday led to additional arrests, bringing the total to six suspects aged between 16 and 25. Authorities are investigating the possibility of linking the suspects to other crimes in the Motherwell area and surrounding policing precincts.

The suspects are expected to appear at the New Brighton Magistrates Court on Friday on charges of business robbery. The investigation is still underway and additional charges may be added as more information becomes available.