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Five suspects aged between 27 and 39 have been arrested in connection with the armed robbery at a church in the Samora Machel settlement in Cape Town on Sunday.
Western Cape police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg said members of the tactical response team, provincial detectives and Samora Machel detectives launched an intensive investigation and tracing operation to track down those responsible.
“Their efforts paid off on Tuesday morning when members arrested five suspects linked to the incident. Some of the items stolen during the robbery were also recovered during the operation,” said Twigg.
The suspects are facing charges of business robbery and possession of stolen property.
The robbery occurred on Sunday when armed men stormed into the church during a service and robbed congregants of their personal belongings, including cellphones, and stole church equipment. The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, sparked outrage among community members and religious leaders.
Twigg said police investigations were continuing and further arrests had not been ruled out.
The five accused are expected to appear in the Athlone magistrate’s court on Thursday.
TimesLIVE
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