POLOKWANE – Police spokesperson Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe says the arrest follows a spate of house robberies in the Tzaneen cluster where female Stockvel social clubs are being targeted and large amounts of money robbed.
Read more: ‘Don’t distribute Stockvel money in cash’ warns Limpopo SAPS
He says operational strategies by the police’s have been established and implemented to curb this trend of criminal activities.
“It was through this strategy that 26-year-old man man was arrested at Paledi Mall in the Mankweng area, outside Polokwane, following another armed robbery in Maake, outside Tzaneen. During this robbery, an undisclosed amount of stockvel money was robbed at gun point by a group of armed suspects,” he explained.
The suspects were identified in the Tzaneen CBD and were ordered to stop by the police, however, they sped off and a motor vehicle chase ensued until the suspect was arrested with the backup from the police in Mankweng.
“During the arrest, one unlicensed firearm was recovered and the suspect is still being processed to check his history with a possibility of him being linked to similar cases in the same cluster,” Ngoepe said.
The suspect will appear before the Mankweng and Lenyenye Magistrate Courts soon and police investigations continue.
“The South African Police Service is still urging Limpopo residents to be vigilant this festive season, especially women, who are participating in the Stockvel Social Clubs, to stop distributing their collected money in cash.”