Four cops were arrested, and a Polokwane Flying Squad vehicle was found at a robbery scene. Photos: Supplied by SAPS
The Mpumalanga SAPS arrested four police officers, attached to various units in Limpopo, and impounded a VW Golf GTI belonging to the Polokwane Flying Squad, following a house robbery in Lydenburg.
Lowvelder reports that Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdluli said police responded to a robbery in progress at 23:50 on Thursday.
Victims overpowered by gunmen
According to information, Ethiopian nationals were sleeping at a residence in Lydenburg when they were overpowered by a group of armed attackers.
Three vehicles were spotted during the robbery. One of the vehicles, suspected to be either a Suzuki Ertiga or a Toyota Avanza or Rumion, fled the scene loaded with cigarettes and cash.
The Mpumalanga SAPS have shown their commitment to upholding the law, even when those involved are fellow officers. In the early hours of Friday, October 10, Lydenburg police arrested four Limpopo SAPS members, aged 34 to 41, and a 29-year-old civilian in the CBD in connection with a house robbery. At around 23:50 on Thursday, October 9, the men and women in blue responded swiftly to reports of a house robbery in progress at a residence in Lydenburg (Mashishing). It is alleged that the victims, Ethiopian nationals, were asleep when a group of armed suspects attacked them,” said the Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Donald Mdluli. Mdluli said the suspects were reportedly using three vehicles: a grey double-cab Toyota bakkie with Limpopo registration plates, a private vehicle with an unknown registration number, and a marked SAPS VW Golf GTI confirmed to belong to the Polokwane Flying Squad. According to the SAPS, the private vehicle is either a Suzuki Ertiga or a Toyota Avanza/Rumion. “It reportedly fled the scene carrying multiple boxes of suspected illicit cigarettes and an undisclosed amount of cash,” said the Mpumalanga SAPS in a statement. At the scene, four SAPS members – three men and one woman, all attached to various Limpopo SAPS units – were arrested, along with a civilian suspect. Both the marked police vehicle and the Toyota bakkie were also seized. “Further investigation at the scene led to the seizure of boxes of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of about R1.5m, as well as R950 000 in cash. Police also discovered that the registration plates on the seized vehicles had been tampered with using black Sellotape, presumably to conceal their identities. Ammunition was also recovered at the scene,” added Mdluli. He said two of the arrested police officers were found in possession of their official service firearms, which have since been confiscated. All five suspects remain in custody as investigations continue and are expected to appear in the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court on Monday, October 13, facing charges of house robbery. Police added that additional charges may be filed as the investigation unfolds. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Unit will carry on with the investigation. Acting provincial police commissioner, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, has welcomed the arrests and reaffirmed the SAPS’s commitment to rooting out criminal elements, regardless of their rank or affiliation. “No one is above the law. We will not tolerate any form of criminality within our ranks. The swift arrest of these individuals demonstrates our zero-tolerance approach to corruption and criminal behaviour,” said Mkhwanazi. caption? Four Limpopo SAPS members and a civilian accomplice were arrested in Lydenburg on October 10. #corruption#southafricatiktok🇿🇦#police#lydenburg#limpopo
Police managed to arrest five suspects on the scene. One woman and three men were found to be attached to Limpopo SAPS units. The fifth suspect was a civilian.
The Golf GTI belonging to the Polokwane Flying Squad that was seized. Photo: Supplied/SAPS
Vehicle number plates ‘tampered with’
Two vehicles, a Toyota Hilux double cab as well as a SAPS-marked Golf GTI, were seized on the scene. Police discovered that the number plates on the vehicles have been tampered with by using black tape.
The investigation also led to the seizure of illicit cigarettes worth R1.5m and R950 000 cash.
R950 000 cash was found on the robbery scene. Photo: Supplied/SAPS
More charges may follow
All five suspects remain in custody as investigations continue and are expected to appear in the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where they will be charged with house robbery.
Police say additional charges may be filed as the investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Unit unfolds.
