Crime

One Suspect Killed, Two Arrested After Armed Cash Robbery and Shootout at Crown Mines Shopping Centre

PrimeTime News Desk Published 15 August 2026

6 min read

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Gauteng police are investigating an armed robbery, murder, attempted murder and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition after a violent incident at a shopping centre in Crown Mines, Johannesburg, on Thursday, 13 August 2026.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:30. According to police, a complainant accompanied by shopping centre security personnel was transporting an undisclosed amount of cash to the main safe when two armed men confronted them. The suspects pointed firearms at the group, ordered them to lie down, and took the cash along with a cellphone belonging to one of the security guards.

The complainant activated a panic button, which alerted additional security staff. Guards stationed at the main entrance then saw a red Volkswagen Polo, reportedly occupied by five suspects, travelling at high speed towards the exit.

When security personnel attempted to stop the vehicle, the occupants opened fire, leading to a shootout. The red Volkswagen Polo collided with another vehicle that was entering the shopping centre and came to a halt. One suspect who remained inside the vehicle sustained fatal gunshot wounds during the exchange of fire.

The remaining suspects fled on foot. One allegedly tried to hijack a Toyota Quantum but was stopped by taxi operators. Another was apprehended by security guards. Police later determined that two of the suspects had sustained gunshot wounds. Both are receiving medical treatment under police guard. Two other suspects managed to escape and remain at large. A security guard also sustained a gunshot wound and is receiving medical treatment.

The getaway vehicle was found displaying false registration plates. It had been hijacked and was previously reported stolen at Jeppe Police Station.

Police recovered the stolen cash at the scene. They also seized three pistols and an AK-47 rifle. The serial numbers on all four firearms had been filed off. The weapons will undergo ballistic testing to establish whether they can be linked to other crimes.

Investigators are treating the matter as cases of armed robbery, murder, attempted murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The probe continues, and a manhunt is underway for the two suspects who fled.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact the Crime Stop line on 08600 10111 or submit details anonymously through the MySAPS App.

The incident remains under active investigation by Gauteng police.

Biker airlifted after serious multi-vehicle collision on N3 near Hammarsdale

A motorcyclist sustained serious injuries in a multi-vehicle crash on the N3 Durban-bound carriageway just before the Hammarsdale off-ramp, west of Durban, on the morning of Friday, 14 August 2026.

ALS Paramedics from the Cato Ridge operation responded shortly after 10:30am to reports of the incident. On arrival, paramedics found the biker lying in the roadway. Advanced Life Support paramedics stabilised the man at the scene. Due to the nature of his injuries, the Netcare911 Aeromedical Helicopter was activated to transport him rapidly to a level-one facility in Pietermaritzburg.

The N3 national highway was temporarily closed to allow the helicopter to land. No other injuries were reported in the collision. Traffic in the area was severely disrupted, with motorists advised to avoid the section where possible.

Footage of the incident that later circulated shows the biker involved in a serious collision. According to descriptions of the video, the motorcyclist narrowly avoided a more severe outcome. A truck driver’s quick reaction and evasive manoeuvre is credited with preventing the biker from being run over.

Authorities were on scene and are investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash. Full details of the sequence of events and any contributing factors remain under inquiry at this stage.

The N3 is a major route linking Durban and Pietermaritzburg and routinely carries high volumes of traffic, including heavy vehicles. Incidents on this stretch frequently result in significant delays and require coordinated responses from emergency services.

Not for sensitive viewers. Biker airlifted after serious multi-vehicle collision on N3 near Hammarsdale pic.twitter.com/oPjCo7QOfo
— PrimeTime News (@PrimeTimeNewsZA) August 14, 2026

The injured motorcyclist was transferred by air for further specialised care. No additional updates on his condition or the progress of the police investigation were immediately available from official sources following the initial emergency response.

Five suspects arrested after armed robbery at Lamberts Bay liquor store

Five men aged between 19 and 36 were arrested following an armed robbery at a liquor store in Burrel Street, Lamberts Bay, on Wednesday evening, 12 August 2026.

The incident occurred at approximately 19:05. According to police, the complainant was inside the store attending to customers when four unidentified males entered. The suspects ordered everyone present to lie face down on the floor and demanded money. Three of the men went to the cash register area. One of them pointed a firearm at the complainant’s head and issued threats.

The suspects took an undisclosed amount of cash from the register, alcohol from the shelves, and the complainant’s cellphone. They left the premises while the complainant and customers remained on the floor. No one was injured during the robbery. After the suspects departed, the complainant got up and contacted the South African Police Service.

An alert was issued regarding the robbery and the direction of travel of the suspects’ vehicle. Piketberg SAPS members on patrol spotted a white Hyundai SUV containing five males at a nearby petrol station. Officers stopped the vehicle and conducted a search of the occupants and the vehicle.

Police recovered one firearm with eight rounds of ammunition, five cellular telephones, a knife, several bottles of whisky, and cash believed to have been taken during the robbery at the Lamberts Bay store. The five suspects were arrested at the scene and detained at Piketberg SAPS.

Piketberg police registered cases of possession of an unlicensed firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and possession of suspected stolen property. The investigation into the business robbery remains ongoing. The five suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday, 17 August 2026.

Local reporting identified the store as the Blue Bottle liquor outlet (also referred to as Weskus Blue Bottle Liquors) on the corner of Burrel Street and Voortrekker Street in Lamberts Bay. Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the details of the incident, the arrests, and the recovered items.