News24 reports that suspects posing as police officers who attempted to gain entry into a SA Police Service (SAPS) building in Pretoria late on Sunday evening, are believed to have been given inside information about what was stored there.

A Ford Ranger, which was allegedly fitted with police lights and a siren, arrived at the SAPS buildings. While security guards were speaking to the driver, who was dressed in a police uniform, a group of armed men emerged from behind the bakkie and overpowered the guards. There were at least 12 suspects. After the guards were tied up and two suspects kept watch over them, the rest of the armed men proceeded directly to a specific SAPS building. While they were trying to gain access to the building, an on-duty police officer intervened. A shootout ensued, and the police officer was wounded. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the armed men fled the scene with the member's service pistol, car keys, a petrol card and R145 in cash. The wounded police officer was rushed to hospital, where he is in a stable condition. According to a source, the evidence pointed to information having been fed from the inside, while another said that only a few people knew what was being kept in the building and when would have been the best time to attempt a break-in. Mathe said that for security reasons, they were not at liberty to discuss what was stored or kept at the building, but she dismissed speculation that the suspects were attempting to steal police uniforms.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Mitchley & Botho Molosankwe at News24 (subscriber access only)
• Read too, Vigilant cop foils armed robbery at police building in Pretoria, at SowetanLive
• En ook, Swaargewapende aanvallers slaan toe op polisiegebou, by Maroela Media

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