BFS shootout leads to four arrests
WO Grant Giblin said the officers were on duty from 6am to 6pm but only finished at 1am the following morning.
The Benoni Flying Squad (BFS) officers went beyond and above duty times to arrest four suspects, recover three unlicensed firearms and one hijacked vehicle after a shootout ensued.
“During the morning various policing units, metro police and security companies received information from crime intelligence of a possible robbery that could take place in the Sebenza/Linbro Park area,” said BFS officer WO Grant Giblin.
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“At around 11.30am a suspicious white BMW 1-Series with four occupants was spotted in Sebenza by a security vehicle.
“A chase ensued leading to a shootout between the suspects and security at Longlake Street, Sebenza, where the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a veld.”
Const Tso Mokobane and Const Mqwaba Nkosi from the flying squad, assisted by other departments, joined the search in the veld for suspects. They found one suspect wounded in the leg.
“He was immediately arrested and taken to hospital under police guard after being treated,” Giblin explained.
“The white BMW 1-Series was discovered to be hijacked on a Lyttleton case. Inside the vehicle officers found one 9mm pistol with numbers filed off and a signal jammer to block cellphones or tracking equipment.”
Giblin said the officers did not abandon the search for the other suspects and at 6.30pm two more suspects were traced at Milkwood Street, Alexandra.
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“They were immediately arrested and found to be in possession of a .38 revolver with four live rounds and a 9mm pistol with five live rounds of ammunition.
“The serial numbers of both firearms had been removed. One suspect was further traced and arrested for conspiring with the group to commit the crime.”
The warrant officer added that the officers are commended for their efforts in tracing other suspects and the recoveries of unlicensed firearms.
The suspects will appear in the local magistrate’s courts, facing charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and conspiracy to commit a crime.
