The group of individuals on their way to perpetrate a robbery in Johannesburg. Picture: SAPS
Four men were arrested on Tuesday, after they were intercepted at N17, Gosforth Tall Gate by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng.
SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said a multidisciplinary team including Gauteng Tactical Response Team, Anti-Gang Unit, Gauteng Traffic, Airwing, and Private Security businesses operationalised intelligence information regarding a group of individuals on their way to perpetrate a robbery in Johannesburg.
“Two suspected vehicles were followed from Wadeville until Gosforth Tall Gate, where they were stopped and searched. Three rifles with magazines and ammunition were recovered,” Nevhuhulwi said.
Further inquiry revealed that one of the automobiles, a Lexus, had fake registration number plates and had been stolen, she said. The suspects’ automobiles were also confiscated.
Major General Fred Kekana, Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, hailed the arrest and praised the team for their ongoing collaborative efforts to combat crime in the province.
The apprehended individuals are to appear in court soon. According to the most recent crime data from July 1 to September 30, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu found that the 17 community-reported significant offences decreased by 5.1% overall.
“Specifically, contact crime decreased by 3.0%, property-related crime saw a reduction of 9.9%, and other serious crime decreased by 3.4%. Focusing on contact crime, the statistics indicate that murder decreased by 5,8%, sexual offences by 2.5%, and robbery with aggravating circumstances by 8,8%,” Mchunu said.
He said that rape declined by 3.1%, while robbery at residential and non-residential locations decreased by 1.3% and 21.1%, respectively.
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