After a R7 million laptop heist in Midrand on January 31, provincial police have still not provided comment on Midrand Reporter’s query surrounding the incident after the publication was referred from one person to the next.
On February 2, acting Midrand Police Station spokesperson Sergeant Angelina Selowa said, “A case was opened with us but it is now being investigated by the provincial police and as such, I cannot comment on it.”
According to a senior manager of the company which was robbed of its goods, robbers allegedly ambushed their truck on 16th Road in Midrand.
The manager, who did not want to be named due to the ‘case still being sensitive’, claimed six robbers driving a white Kia Sportage and two unidentified cars blocked the truck.
He said the truck driver and the two escort vehicle drivers were forced into the suspects’ vehicles.
“They were then driven around for about three hours before being dropped off in various places. The truck driver was found in Diepsloot, while the first escort was found in Olifantsfontein and the other in Kempton Park on the R21 highway,” he added.
The truck and the escort vehicles were later found abandoned on Brand Road in President Park on the same day.
He confirmed that they had opened a case with Midrand police.
Attempts to get a comment regarding the incident from Captain Jeff Phora of the provincial police have proved futile.
Phora initially promised Midrand Reporter that he would respond by February 4 but the next day he referred the paper back to Selowa who again said she could not comment on a case that was being probed at a provincial level.
Despite being reminded for comment on February 6 and 9, Phora had not responded at the time of going to print,
Infographic Stats
- On January 18, four suspects were fatally shot and two others were arrested in a shootout with police. The suspects were planning to hijack a truck transporting cellphones in Glen Austin, Midrand before being thwarted
- Last year, on September 22, two men stole computers worth R150 000 at Midland Primary and High School. It was noticed by the school on September 23.
- On September 28, three perpetrators robbed a company in broad daylight and took laptops, a printer, and a hard drive valued at R140 000 among other items.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/311349/police-investigate-r150-000-computer-heist
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/312121/police-hunt-trio-for-business-robbery
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/316451/four-dead-two-arrested-in-midrand-shoot-out/
