Robbery suspects linked to 16 crimes

Two armed robbery suspects who were shot and killed in Pretoria Moot on Sunday night have been linked to at least 16 other crimes‚ South African Police Service spokesman Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said on Tuesday.

A third robbery suspect was wounded following a shootout with police in Haarhoff Street.

“The wounded suspect is still in hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds to his head and shoulder. None of our police officers were injured.”

Naidoo said the shooting incident was a result of a joint intelligence driven operation comprising of members from National Crime Intelligence‚ the National Investigation Unit‚ Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks)‚ Gauteng K9 and Tracker.

The team had responded to intelligence of an armed robbery that was to be committed in the Pretoria Moot area involving a blue BMW.

“The team spotted the BMW at the victim's house while the robbery was already taking place in the driveway. As the team confronted the suspects in an attempt to arrest them‚ a shootout ensued. Two male suspects‚ Tyson Mdluli‚ 43‚ and Benson Kalusi‚ 40‚ were shot and killed‚ and the third suspect‚ whose identity cannot be disclosed at this stage‚ was wounded.”

Naidoo said the wounded suspect would be facing charges of two counts of murder (for Mdluli and Kalusi deaths)‚ armed robbery‚ five counts of attempted murder‚ possession of unlicensed arms‚ possession of unlicensed ammunition and possession of suspected stolen property (the BMW).

The two deceased suspects had been awaiting trial and were linked to other cases through their fingerprints.

Kalusi was awaiting trial for nine crimes and he had been linked to four other cases through fingerprints in the Johannesburg and surrounding areas committed between 2006 and 2013.

Mdluli was awaiting trial for three crimes also in the Johannesburg and surrounding areas‚ committed between 2011 and 2013.

“In most of these cases‚ the suspects have been involved in armed robberies and other cases include cases such as attempted murder and possession of suspected stolen property‚” Naidoo said.

The weapons recovered at the scene had been sent for ballistic testing to determine if they were used in other crimes.

The National Commissioner of Police‚ General Riah Phiyega said: “The lengthy charge sheet of these suspects is a clear indication of the ruthless calibre of these suspects and I thank God that our colleagues were able to escape this life threatening situation unscathed.”

RDM News Wire.