The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has welcomed the arrest of a group of suspects and praised police in Gauteng for their efforts in breaking the back of what appears to be a theft syndicate, said Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo on behalf of the South African Police Service.
According to Naidoo, yesterday morning (27 November) following a high-speed chase and a shoot-out between police and suspects at around 4am, a suspect was killed and four others, including a wounded suspect, were arrested on the R21 highway near Olifantsfontein. “Members from various units of the SAPS including Crime Intelligence, Pretoria K9 Unit, SAPS Highway Patrol and private security, acting on intelligence, were looking out for suspects that were going to travel on the R21 highway.”
Naidoo said that according to intelligence, these suspects were allegedly part of a syndicate involved in burglaries, theft of motorbikes, boats, trailers and other high-value items in Gauteng and neighbouring provinces. The team spotted a bakkie towing a trailer carrying a suspected stolen motorbike followed by an escort vehicle with foreign registration plates as identified in the intelligence.
He added that in trying to stop the suspect vehicles, a high-speed chase ensued. In the process, the driver of the bakkie tried to push the police vehicles off the road by swerving into them. A shoot-out followed forcing the suspects’ Toyota Hilux as well as the escort vehicle to come to a halt.
Naidoo confirmed that one suspect was killed and four suspects were subsequently arrested. “Police also recovered two firearms from the suspects and seized the bakkie as well as the escort vehicle at the scene.”
General Sitole added, “This multi-disciplinary integrated approach has once again proven to be one of the most effective approaches in dealing with crime in this country.”
Naidoo concluded that they continue to implore anyone who may have information on the crime to contact the police via the MySAPSApp or the Crime Stop 086 00 10111. “Informers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with the strictest confidence. Together we can achieve more.”
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/190734/two-joburg-officials-suspended-alleged-r800-000-theft/
