One dead, two injured in cigarette delivery heist in Marble Hall, Limpopo

12 February 2015 - 11:02 By Sapa
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Cigarettes. File photo
Cigarettes. File photo
Image: Gallo Images/Thinkstock

A suspected robber has been shot dead, while a police officer and another alleged robber were shot and injured, during an armed robbery in Marble Hall, near Bela Bela, Limpopo police said on Thursday.

"At approximately 3.30pm on Wednesday, members of a cigarette company were travelling on the road between Marble Hall and Groblersdal when a vehicle carrying five suspects cornered them at a stop sign," Colonel Ronel Otto said.

The five fired shots at the delivery vehicle and security guards escorting it returned fire.

"A police constable from the local criminal record centre in Groblersdal who passed in his vehicle saw what was happening and followed one suspect that was fleeing into the nearby bushes," Otto said.

The constable was shot in the stomach and he was seriously wounded.

A security guard then shot the alleged gunman, who was declared dead on the scene.

A second alleged robber was wounded and taken to hospital.

"Three other suspects managed to flee with the delivery vehicle and their own Ford Ranger."

Police were still searching for them.

The delivery vehicle was later recovered, but it was not immediately known what had been stolen out of it.

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