Pretoria - Election-centred police operations in Limpopo, which ensured a safe voting environment for communities, have resulted in the arrest of five armed robbers who have been on police’s radar for the past few months.
According to police, a gang of five suspects, who have been terrorising the Mahwelereng area, were on Wednesday outplayed by a group of detectives who traced them to their hide out and arrested them.
The suspects terrorised business owners in the area, robbing them of cash, air time and groceries.
Police provincial spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the suspects usually operated in a group, where two suspects entered a shop and pretended to buy something and then pointed a firearm at the shop owner before tying the owner and workers up.
“Three more suspects then entered the shop and stole the cash, air time and groceries in large quantities before they fled in vehicles,” Brigadier Mulaudzi said.
Brigadier Mulaudzi attributed the successful arrests to a group of detectives, which led them to a house at Sekgagapeng on Wednesday evening, where they surprised the suspects in their hide out.
All five suspects were arrested and several stolen goods, including two firearms and two vehicles, were recovered.
“The suspects are already linked to more cases of armed robbery in the Matlala area and investigations to link them to more incidents in the province are on-going. The origin of the confiscated firearms and vehicles are also continuing,” Brigadier Mulaudzi added.
The suspects are due to appear in the Mahwelereng Magistrates’ Court on Friday on charges of armed robbery, possession of suspected stolen goods as well as the possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. – SAnews.gov.za
