Five armed suspects aged between 30 and 43, were nabbed nabbed along the R101 in
the Pinaansrivier outside Bela-Bela, in Limpopo.
The suspects were arrested during a sting joint operation comprised of members
of the South African Police Service from Bela-Bela, Pienaarsrivier, Modimolle
Public Order Police (POP) Unit, the Lephalale Community Police Forum members
and a car tracking company.
Police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the arrest follows a business
robbery that took place in one of the retail stores in the Lephalale town.
The Police were notified, reacted swiftly and a manhunt ensued supported by a
private helicopter until a quantum matching the same description of the alleged
getaway vehicle was spotted passing Bela-Bela town towards Pretoria.
He said it was followed, stopped, pulled off the road and searched. In the
process, cops found large amount of different cell phones believed to be the
once robbed in Lephalale.The occupants were all arrested and cops seized the
minibus, two 9mm pistols with 27 live rounds and two magazines and Cellphones with
an estimated value of R100 000.
The suspects will appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate's Court soon on
Possession of firearms and ammunition without license and possession of
suspected stolen properties.
They will later appear before the Lephalale Magistrate's Court on a charge of
business robbery.
Meanwhile, still in the Lephalale cops arrested two suspects both aged 31,
few kilometers away from the crime scene.
The arrest was made soon after a business robbery incident that was committed
at one of shops at Phahladira Section in the Ga-Shongwane area outside
Lephalale.
During the arrest, the suspects did not cooperate and started shooting at the
Police who retaliated until one of the suspects was shot and injured.
Subsequently, both of them were apprehended.
The injured suspect is still recuperating in one of the hospitals under Police
guard.
Ngoepe said both suspects will appear before the Phalala Magistrate Court soon
on charges of business robbery, attempted murder and possession of unlicenced
firearm and ammunition.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo
Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has commended with high esteem.
He said these Teams of Saps members and the community based crime prevention structures such as the Community Police Forums who went an extra mile in volunteering the private helicopter to track these suspects until they were apprehended are commended
