The Police's Flying Squad Unit has picked two suspects linked to the weekend heist at a supermarket in Mukono district.

Police publicist Fred Enanga confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

Below is the statement

TWO SUSPECTS BEHIND AGGRAVATED ROBBERY OF SPICE SUPERMARKET MUKONO ARRESTED

The Flying Squad Unit and Mukono Police have in custody two suspects, highly linked to the aggravated robbery of Spice Supermarket located Ku Ssatu, in Namubiru ward, Mukono Central Division in Mukono Municipality on the 25.06.2022.  

The facts gathered indicate that the two suspects were sighted on the eve of the robbery while drinking at Cloud 9 bar, annexing the supermarket. 

They include Mugalu William, a 24-year-old resident of Nasuuti cell, Ntawo ward, Mukono Central and Mbogo Sam, a 23-year-old, resident of Nasuuti cell, Ntawo ward, Mukono municipality.  They were clearly identified by one of the victims at the supermarket.

Our focus is now working towards the recovery of the gun and identifying other members of the gang, who appear to be a professional team, looking at how swift they were. An amateur group is usually desperate, more high risk and willing to use violence.

A team of counsellors from CID Headquarters has been dispatched to offer counselling services to the cashier after a gun was pointed to her head.  

We thank her for doing the right thing by doing exactly what the thugs asked her to do, when they forced her to open the till and put all the cash in their bag.

Although attacks on supermarkets have not been so regular, we anticipate more retail crimes on supermarkets, mobile money points, retail shops, markets etc, which continue to be at risk, due to high levels of unemployment among the youth, use of drugs, change in criminal tactics, where robbers attack softer targets with lesser security, such as supermarkets and the opportunity of get-away.  

Other than guns, knives, machetes, screw drives and other sharp objects are used.  Unless the several problems are backed, retail businesses continue to be under threat, which calls for the need to boost security measures such as deployment of sufficient private security guards, CCTV, body cameras, activating alarms and connecting them to police stations.

As the Joint Security Agencies, we continue to target persistent or repeat offenders who are mostly behind retail crimes and the intensification of patrols along hotspot areas, strengthening the neighbourhood watch programs among others.