A POLICE sergeant was arrested on Wednesday, 10 November on allegations of kidnapping, armed robbery and extortion.
Colonel Dimakatso Sello said the cop was arrested following a warrant of arrest issued by the Vereeniging Magistrates Court.
“It is alleged that the member hired out his police equipment, including an official firearm, bulletproof vest and handcuffs to a syndicate that use this equipment to impersonate police officials. The suspects reportedly preyed on people who advertised their property online. They would thereafter rob and keep them hostage at a certain house in Orange Farm,” Sello said.
Another search and seizure warrant was executed and resulted in the arrest of a 40-year-old man and seizure of police reflector jackets, a diamond tester and five cellphones.
Sello said these arrests follow intensive efforts by investigators to crack cases where perpetrators impersonate police officers.
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“These suspects will be profiled to determine if they cannot be linked to other cases where the same modus operandi was used to rob unsuspecting victims that sell their properties online,” said Sello.
Both suspects are expected to appear in the Vereeniging Magistrates Court on Thursday, 11 November.
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said it was a disgrace to see one of their own arrested for criminal activities that they were entrusted to fight.
“As the SAPS Gauteng management, we are committed to uproot the rotten potatoes within the organisation and to ensure that justice is served,” said Mawela.
