Bomb scare: ex-Scorpions detective up

The man who allegedly tried to rob a bank at the Menlyn Maine shopping centre in Pretoria has been identified as a former investigator for the now-defunct Scorpions.

Two of his former colleagues confirmed to News24 that the suspect, who was arrested yesterday morning, was Mossie Mostert.

News24 was also told by both sources that Mostert had allegedly been suffering financially.

Since leaving the directorate of special operations (the Scorpions) and police, Mostert had been plying his trade as a private investigator at a company called Mostert Security Solutions.

According to the police, the suspect – who disguised himself, wearing a wig – was believed to have entered an Absa Bank at around 11.15am and walked straight to a bank teller, before handing over a note.

Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach said the note stated he had a bomb and he wanted an undisclosed amount of money. The bank teller then pressed the silent alarm.

“Security immediately reacted and evacuated the whole shopping centre. The police responded and arrested the man inside the bank. A firearm was confiscated,” Weilbach said.

The police’s bomb squad and K9 units were called to the scene to inspect the device. While the sniffer dogs initially reacted positively to the device, the bomb disposal unit found that it was not a bomb but that the man had sprinkled gunpowder on the device to give it authenticity.

Mostert is expected to appear in court soon on charges of making a false threat and attempted bank robbery. – News24