Suspected airport robbers in shootout with police

Two men accused of following people from OR Tambo International Airport in a stolen Merc are in custody after a showdown with police on the N3 highway in Johannesburg on Sunday. A third suspect is dead‚ in circumstances yet to be clarified.

The South African Police Service said in a statement its National Investigation Unit (NINU) received intelligence that a group of men using a white Mercedes Benz ML are targeting commuters travelling from OR Tambo International Airport. 

Acting with the Flying Squad‚ "the team followed up on the intelligence and spotted the Mercedes traveling from the airport".

"Attempts to have the suspect vehicle stop led to a shootout on the N3 near the Marlborough off-ramp‚ Johannesburg. One male suspect was shot dead and two men were arrested. The police also recovered two unlicensed firearms‚" the SAPS said.

The Mercedes ML which the suspects were using was reported hijacked in the Norwood area in October this year.

The suspects are likely to face charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and armed robbery for the hijacked Mercedes.

Without providing details‚ police said the suspects are also likely to face a charge of murder in relation to "their dead accomplice".

"It is also possible that these suspects could be linked to at least five other airport following robberies."

Police said the recovered firearms will be analyzed by forensic experts to determine if they were used in other crimes.

"This is a significant breakthrough to our efforts to combat crimes in and around the OR Tambo International Airport‚ especially the crimes where people are being followed from the airport and being robbed‚" said the statement‚ issued by Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo.

The suspects will appear in court on Tuesday.