TWO men arrested for a botched bank robbery in Hazyview in Limpopo appeared briefly in the White River magistrate's court yesterday.
TWO men arrested for a botched bank robbery in Hazyview in Limpopo appeared briefly in the White River magistrate's court yesterday.
Robert Mabuza, 49, and Mentor Chiloane, 31, have been remanded in custody pending their next court appearance on Wednesday.
Police said the suspects were arrested at Absa bank after they illegally entered the premises by a back door.
Hazyview police spokesperson Constable Mpho Koli said: "The suspects used a spare key to unlock a door that is situated at the back of the bank, and went in. The bank's employees noticed them and alerted the security guards, who closed the door and accosted them.
"When we arrived at the bank we discovered that the suspects were armed with pistols. We suspect this was an inside job since the suspects managed to get a spare key without the bank's permission," Koli said.
Koli said the suspects told police investigators that their aim was to get inside the bank, quietly steal the money and walk out of the building.
She said this was the first time that their police station had come across such an incident.
"We are also investigating how the criminals got hold of the key," she said.
"We suspect that one of the bank's employees helped them to get hold of the back door key."
Two held after botched bank job
TWO men arrested for a botched bank robbery in Hazyview in Limpopo appeared briefly in the White River magistrate's court yesterday.
TWO men arrested for a botched bank robbery in Hazyview in Limpopo appeared briefly in the White River magistrate's court yesterday.
Robert Mabuza, 49, and Mentor Chiloane, 31, have been remanded in custody pending their next court appearance on Wednesday.
Police said the suspects were arrested at Absa bank after they illegally entered the premises by a back door.
Hazyview police spokesperson Constable Mpho Koli said: "The suspects used a spare key to unlock a door that is situated at the back of the bank, and went in. The bank's employees noticed them and alerted the security guards, who closed the door and accosted them.
"When we arrived at the bank we discovered that the suspects were armed with pistols. We suspect this was an inside job since the suspects managed to get a spare key without the bank's permission," Koli said.
Koli said the suspects told police investigators that their aim was to get inside the bank, quietly steal the money and walk out of the building.
She said this was the first time that their police station had come across such an incident.
"We are also investigating how the criminals got hold of the key," she said.
"We suspect that one of the bank's employees helped them to get hold of the back door key."