A Grassy Park woman accused of helping skollies rob shoppers in Ottery has been sent to Pollsmoor Prison after cops arrested her at her home.
Suzanne Arendse, 32, made her first appearance in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Monday where she faced illegal possession of ammunition charges after cops found several live rounds hidden in her clothing.
Grassy Park Police Station’s commander, Colonel Dawood Laing, says the woman was arrested on Friday morning after cops staked out her home.
“She lives in a flat on Ottery Road near the Hyper shopping centre,” he says.
“Recently there was a big spike in armed robberies where a gang of skollies target women going to the centre or those who wait for taxis.
“They take bags, cellphones and money and then run to that house to hide because it is close to the centre.
“The security guards at the centre alerted us about the group and we gathered information.
“We watched the place for about a week and on Friday we searched the place.
“All the robbers were gone but we found various calibres of ammunition among her clothes and she was arrested.
“It was 12 rounds for three different types of guns, which shows us what they are using.
“We believe she was aiding the skollies, who are allegedly members of the Mongrels gang.”
Police search Suzanne Arendse's Ottery flat.
Arendse appeared briefly in court and was remanded for a bail information hearing and was sent to Pollsmoor Prison until her next appearance on 8 July.
Laing says cops are hunting for the robbers who have disappeared since Arendse’s arrest.
“The house is a pella pos where they smoke and sell from,” he adds.
“They are all drug addicts and sell heroin, mandrax and tik. It appears that the gangsters roped her in and she allowed them to hide there while they gave her drugs.
“When detectives processed her at the station, they found there was a warrant of arrest out for her as she failed to appear in court for a malicious damage to property case worth R40 000.”
Officers also found court papers which indicate that the property owner has sought an eviction order but Arendse is not listed as an occupant of the flat.
Laing says cops are hunting for the robbers who have disappeared since Arendse’s arrest.