Police made a ‘significant breakthrough’ last night in the cases of ‘airport-following’ robberies committed in and around Johannesburg area.
This website and its sister Caxton Local Media publications have reported on these follow-home robberies from the airport over the past few months.
READ MORE: UPDATE: 36 tourists allegedly robbed, Sandton police investigate
A police statement said the breakthrough was made by police members based at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) and the Johannesburg East Cluster.
“The team, acting on information, monitored a security vehicle and discovered that this vehicle, which is contracted to work at OR Tambo International Airport, was following a sedan from ORTIA travelling towards Sandton,” read the police statement.
“The security vehicle was stopped and it was discovered that one of the occupants was a security company manager who is wanted for a case of possession of unlicensed firearm and an armed robbery case in the Limpopo province. The security company manager as well as a second occupant in the security vehicle were immediately arrested.”
Police said the team worked throughout the night and during early hours of this morning (Saturday) and arrested a further four suspects in the Hillbrow area.
“All six suspects are between 23 and 38 years of age. A seventh suspect managed to escape and he is still at large but being sought by the police.”
Police recovered several incriminating items in Hillbrow, including the security vehicle, a sedan, passports, at least 15 cell phones and several luggage bags.
“The team also recovered two pistols which will be sent for ballistic testing to establish which crimes, if any, they may have been used in,” said police.
“The team is also investigating the possibility that these may have been the same suspects that are responsible for the robbery of seven foreign visitors at Corlett Drive this past Thursday night.”
READ MORE: UPDATE: 7 diplomats robbed at gunpoint on Corlett Drive en-route from OR Tambo
The statement further read that the deputy national commissioner responsible for policing, lieutenant general Fanie Masemola, complimented both the teams of ORTIA as well as the Johannesburg East Cluster for a job well done.
“The sterling work by these teams has brought us a step closer to cracking these incidents of “airport-following” robberies and they must be commended,” said Masemola.
“However, our job does not end here, we will still have a lot to do solve the many robberies that were committed and to prevent new ones from taking place and we won’t rest until we reach a positive outcome.”
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