Five suspects were arrested soon after they robbed a discount store in Govan Mbeki Avenue in North End, Port Elizabeth on Friday afternoon.
Colonel Pricilla Naidu says it is alleged that the men entered the store and threatened the staff with two firearms.
They fled the scene with cell phones, a laptop computer and an undisclosed amount of money.
The shop owner ran after them, and later flagged down a patrolling police vehicle and reported the incident.
Naidu says members from Mount Road Crime Prevention noticed the suspects jumping into a blue VW Golf.
The vehicle was pulled over and the suspects arrested.
Police recovered all the stolen property and confiscated a gas gun, a 9mm pistol as well as the vehicle.
The five men from Motherwell, aged between 39 and 45, are being detained and will appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Monday.
