Staff Reporter
The Toyota pick-up, which was stolen during an armed robbery of a couple in their home in Aranos in the early hours of this morning (Sunday), has been found abandoned a few kilometres from Stampriet. A community policing member from Aranos confirmed this to Informanté, adding that the firearms stolen by the gang of four armed robbers remain unaccounted for.
Informanté has reached out to the Namibian Police’s Hardap headquarters for official confirmation of the incident, but a response is yet to be received. The identity of the couple is known to Informanté and will only be made public if released by the Namibian Police.
The small Kalahari town of Aranos is located approximately 140 km east of Mariental, and the small town of Stampriet is situated halfway between Aranos and Mariental, around 80 km away.
“At this stage, we suspect that the robbery gang abandoned the stolen vehicle because it ran out of fuel. Alternatively, they may be working with accomplices who picked them up at the location where the vehicle was abandoned to avoid detection by the law,” explained the community policing member. This development shifts the investigation into a new phase for the Namibian Police in Hardap, he added.
The couple, who were overpowered by the armed robbery gang in their Aranos home at around 02:00 this morning, are reported to be recovering from the physical harm inflicted upon them. However, they remain emotionally traumatized and are receiving support from members of their close-knit community. They have chosen to stay in their home where the attack took place and have declined hospitalization or temporary shelter.
For the Hardap Police, the situation remains critical as the firearms stolen during the armed robbery are still missing. The stolen weapons include a .22 rifle, a 38-special revolver, a 757 Mauser, a 222 rifle, a 9mm handgun, and a .308 rifle. It has been confirmed that the thugs stole ammunition for the 9mm handgun during the robbery. They were armed with a 9mm pistol upon entering the couple’s home, leading the Police to assess that the thugs are currently armed with at least two pistols ready for use. There is also concern regarding whether the remaining stolen firearms could pose a danger if the gang is cornered or if they carry out further attacks while attempting to evade the law.
