Police hope to see fewer road spiking incidents after arrest of 11 suspects

Police believe the arrest of 11 suspects in a bust over the weekend in Tshwane will help close many cases related to road spiking and online shopping.

Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni has commanded a team of district detectives who worked alongside detectives from Rietgat police station and FNB Security officials to arrest 11 suspects linked to road-spiking incidents in the Tshwane district to investigate.

“One of the suspects charged at the police with a firearm, and the police shot at him,” Mthombeni said.

“He was declared dead at the scene.

“On Saturday, police received information on the whereabouts of suspects responsible for road spiking incidents on the N1, N4 and R80 in Tshwane, as well as robberies related to online shopping,” he said.

“The team went to Winterveld to the house used to operate an illegal shebeen and confronted 10 male suspects and a woman running the shebeen.”

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Mthombeni said four of the suspects will be charged with several counts of rape and armed robbery, while the woman will be charged with contravening the Immigration Act and operating an illegal shebeen.

Police also seized a replica firearm and alcohol.

“Investigators are underway to link the rest of the suspects with cases of robberies related to online shopping as well as road spiking incidents,” he said.

Piet Pretorius from Pretoria has been a victim of the spiking twice in a month on the N4.

“I am relieved they were caught, it was getting out of hand,” he said. “The one incident happened at Nellmapius at the N4, and the other incident happened just before the Zambezi offramp on the N1.

“I saw them running from the side of the highway [and] the other person shooting at them, but they ran away. I just continued driving.”

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More videos of an ambulance with a punctured tyre circulated on social media. The incident allegedly happened along the R80 and N4 near Wonderpark, north of Pretoria last weekend.

Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee warned residents to be vigilant on the N1 after the Tshwane Flying Squad vehicle hit spikes just after Murrayhill and Hammanskraal toll gates.

He congratulated the police, adding: “Apparently, the deceased was one of the masterminds. However, there were one or two incidents reported since [the arrests] which shows there are several gangs, and that’s a worry.”

Abramjee warned motorists: “If your car is hit by spikes, remember your life is more important than a rim. Keep on driving to a safe place. You can replace your rim.”