Phalaborwa – Police have launched a manhunt after a heavily armed gunmen blew up a safe at a petrol service station in the Phalaborwa CBD in Limpopo, and took an undisclosed amount of cash on Wednesday morning.

Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the nine men, who had pistols and AK47s, stormed onto the petrol station premises at about 02:00.

“It is alleged that in the early hours of this morning, nine suspects travelling [in] a blue BMW with registration number FX 96 XJ GP, hijacked a Golf GTI, with registration number FJ 80 YW GP, of a client when they invaded the garage heavily armed with pistols and AK47s,” he said.

They then ordered employees, including security guards, to lay flat on the floor before they blew up the safe, said Ngoepe.

He said the men also took two firearms from security guards.

“They then fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.”

Police were summoned and “the BMW was found abandoned at a distance away from the scene,” he said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the BMW was hijacked in Tzaneen earlier, Ngoepe said.

He asked anyone with information which may lead to an arrest to contact Brigadier James Espach on 082 576 0743 or Crime Stop on 0860 010 111.

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