Two suspects, who are part of an armed gang who posed as police officers, were arrested in Birchleigh last week Thursday, Kempton Express reported.
They have been positively linked to an attack on an elderly Edleen woman and her gardener in April. The gang of five apparently operates around Edleen, Van Riebeeck Park and Birch Acres and has been linked to 10 house robberies.
The two were caught by Alpha Security’s Dwaine Hansen and Hannes Volschenk, who were involved in a joint special operation with Tembisa Cluster police officers.
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“We were patrolling the area when we were informed that we needed to be on the lookout for a white Geely that had been involved in multiple armed house robberies, armed robberies and house break-ins,” Hansen explained.
Luckily, Hansen and Volschenk knew the white vehicle because they had previously been involved in a high-speed chase with the car but lost it when it disappeared into Alexandra township.
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“While in Terenure we received a WhatsApp message that the car was spotted in Van Riebeeck Park. Morne le Grange (Alpha’s general manager) and two police officers responded. We searched for about 30 minutes. At about 1.30pm Hannes and I finally spotted the vehicle on Elgin Road,” said Hansen.
He and Volschenk gave chase and informed Le Grange and the police officers.
“As soon as Morne and the cops reached us, Hannes and I sped in front of the suspects’ car and slammed on brakes in front of them. Morne and the cops boxed them in from behind. Hannes and I jumped out of our cars and apprehended them,” said Hansen.
The chase came to an end along Elgin Road.
According to Hansen, the suspects threatened to, should they get bail, come after them and “take them out”.
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Upon further investigations, it was found the men had been involved in multiple armed robberies and house break-ins around Kempton. Housebreaking tools such as gloves, pick axe, stockings and balaclavas were found in the suspects’ car.
The suspects were not armed at the time. It was later established the suspect who was driving the car had pending cases against him for carrying unlicensed firearms.
The two were later positively identified by the elderly woman and her gardener as the culprits who attacked them on April 30.
A case of armed robbery and house break-in was opened with Norkem police.
