3 arrested as stolen police firearm is recovered in Bloemfontein

Three suspects were apprehended following the discovery of three unlicensed firearms and ammunition inside a residence in Phahameng at Bloemfontein.

At around 21:30 last night, members of the Anti-Gang Unit worked with the Public Order Policing Unit after receiving information on individuals travelling in a white Volkswagen, bearing foreign vehicle registration plates.

“The team kept the observation and the vehicle was spotted in Rocklands and was subsequently intercepted at a house in Phahameng,” says police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli.

After a preliminary vehicle search was completed, a firearm was recovered, prompting further investigation. Further searches uncovered two additional firearms in the possession of the suspects.

One of the firearms had been reported as stolen during a house burglary at a police official’s residence in Virginia in 2022.

“Three male suspects, aged between 34 and 38, were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and all three firearms will be sent for ballistic testing,” states Kareli.

The three suspects are set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court.