MTHATHA – Swift action by the Mthatha Flying Squad, K9 Unit, and a Tracker Unit from a private security company led to the arrest of two male suspects, aged 25 and 45, in Mthatha Callaway Street. The suspects allegedly robbed a clothing shop in Qumbu CBD of fourteen (14) new cellphones on Monday, 12 January 2026, at about 10:40.
Two unknown males entered the shop, and one pointed a firearm at the staff, locked them inside an office, and demanded the keys to a locked cellphone display cabinet. They took and loaded fourteen new cellphones into a black school bag and then fled the scene. The estimated value of the stolen cellphones is approximately thirty-four thousand rand (R34 000.00). During the investigation, it transpired that the stolen cellphones were in transit towards Mthatha.
Collaboration between Mthatha police and the tracker company led to the arrest of the two male suspects in Mthatha Callaway Street, which resulted in the recovery of all the stolen cellphones still in the suspects’ possession. The suspects, who hail from Coffee Bay and Port St Johns respectively, will appear before the Qumbu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, facing charges of armed business robbery and possession of suspected stolen property. Upon firearm verification, it emerged that the firearm used was a toy gun.
OR Tambo District Commissioner, Major General Norman Modishana, applauded the swift action by all law enforcement agencies involved, which resulted in the arrest of the two male suspects.
