The suspected serial robbers and hijackers were arrested in connection with a number of robberies and a hijacking case recently reported in Boksburg and Benoni.
The first three suspects were arrested at Tambo Memorial Hospital on June 20, after a staff member noticed an unknown car (a white Dodge) parked in one of the hospital’s staff parking bays.
Police were called to the parking lot and found the unattended Dodge.
As part of an ongoing investigation, members of the Boksburg police kept the abandoned car under observation.
The police team consisted of Det-Sgt Calvin Mphaphuli, Sgt Zane Johnson, Det-Sgt Simphiwe Gumede, Const Mokoena, Const Motaung, Const Ludwick Mogane and Const Adel Raseroka. Three men driving in a white Toyota Quantum kombi arrived and proceeded to the Dodge, unaware that the police were watching.
They reportedly got into the Dodge and started to drive away, before the police intercepted them. All three suspects were apprehended and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Their Quantum was confiscated.
Upon further investigation, it then emerged that the Dodge had been hijacked in Benoni, and that the victim of the hijacking had been severely assaulted and dumped in a veld in Etwatwa.
The suspects are said to have stolen the victim’s bank card and to have demanded the PIN number because they intented to withdraw money.
The victim reportedly gave them a wrong PIN after which the suspects beat him up and knocked him unconscious. The suspects then drove away in the victim’s car leaving him in the bushes to die. The, victim, however, later regained consciousness and found the strength to crawl to a nearby road to ask for help.
The victim’s cellphone was found in possession of one of the now arrested suspects.
The police confirmed that the victim is still in hospital fighting for his life.
The intensive investigation by the detective team then linked the arrested suspects to a series of robberies. After a follow-up on information received, police discovered that the suspects’ white Quantum and the arrested suspects had allegedly been involved in a number of robberies.
Some of the suspects apparently confessed that they had been targeting pedestrians in Boksburg and other areas.
They also revealed their modus operandi, saying they travelled along different taxi routes and pretended that their vehicle was a legitimate taxi.
Once their targeted victims were in the taxi, they would then drive with them to a secluded area and rob them of their personal belongings.
Acting on numerous leads, the police further arrested three other suspects in Wattville and Daveyton on June 21. Some were allegedly found in possession of some of the goods stolen during the robberies, while one of them was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm, which was apparently used during the series of criminal activities.
Some of the stolen cellphones were recovered from a shop in Benoni where the suspects apparently sold them.
More Information has emerged that one of the robberies happened near the Boksburg stadium where the victim was robbed of money and other belongings.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court, facing charges of robbery and hijacking.
The suspects are young men aged between 18 and 21. They tended to operate as a group of seven – sometimes eight people.
Upon questioning the suspects, investigators have also discovered that there are other cases of robbery that were not reported and they are urging those who fell victims to the robberies, to contact Det-Sgt Calvin Mphaphuli on 071 422 7417 or 011 841 6858.
Hardly a month has passed since the Boksburg SAPS-based members of the Ekurhuleni Central Cluster Trio recovered some of the goods, worth about R1-million, stolen from a house in Freeway Park.
This came after a gang of armed robbers held the victim at gunpoint inside the house and helped themselves to a number of valuable items and meat from the fridge on June 5. -@FanieFLK
