Three members of the so-called “Rolex gang” were arrested on Tuesday after a shootout with police on the R25 in Modderfontein, Ekurhuleni.
The three were arrested following a multidisciplinary intelligence-driven operation when the suspects were found in possession of a hijacked vehicle on the R25.
Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Sindile Mfazi commended the tenacity with which the operation was executed.
The high-level team included the police’s crime intelligence unit, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI), SAPS K9 Unit, the Alexandra Trio Task Team, Gauteng Traffic Saturation Unit as well as the Tracker Connect Investigation Department.
The team had been conducting surveillance on the suspects since the hijacking of a vehicle in Alexandra in May 2018, according to SAPS.
Just after 1pm on Tuesday, their operational plan was implemented with assistance from the SAPS Airwing and Ekurhuleni Metro Police SWAT members.
When the suspects realised that they had been cornered, they started shooting at the team and police responded.
Three suspects were arrested at the scene, with one sustaining injuries. The vehicle, two handguns with ammunition and other items were seized.
Mfazi said combating car hijackings, as a category of the trio crimes, is one of SAPS’s top priorities.
“This collaborative effort of various law enforcement agencies will, going forward, be incorporated in the normalisation approach that will ensure the sustainability of low levels of serious crime.”
The DPCI will investigate the case. The National Head of the DPCI, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, has commended the members who made up part of the team.
“I am pleased with the integrated approach towards the fight against serious and violent crime. It is evident that when we coordinate our efforts, we will emerge victorious against the scourge of aggravated robberies,” said Lebeya. – SAnews.gov.za
