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AN early morning police operation by a team of detectives from the National Investigative Unit (NINU) on Monday has resulted in the arrest of two men strongly suspected of a spate of robberies during which victims were followed from OR Tambo International Airport and subsequently robbed of their monies, jewellery and other personal belongings.
According to Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale the two were arrested in the upmarket suburb of Oakdene, south of Johannesburg, for allegedly robbing five Pakistani nationals of undisclosed amounts of cash in July last year.
The suspects, while posing as police officers, allegedly followed the victims from the airport before they robbed them, by first flashing what looked like police appointment cards at the victims before relieving them of their belongings.
Investigations into the men’s other criminal activities are going ahead full steam and more charges may be added soon.
Makgale said evidence in possession of the South African Police Service’s task team looking into these followings, strongly suggested that one of the men, who is in his early fifties, was the kingpin of these robberies and could possibly be linked to several airport following robbery cases.
In nearly all of the cases the suspects have been impersonating the police, including flashing police paraphernalia at their unsuspecting victims.
Since its formation the task team has had several successes, but this arrest is considered one of the biggest successes.
During the arrest detectives and their colleagues from the flying squad confiscated two vehicles belonging to the suspect. One of the vehicles was confiscated from his girlfriend’s home in Soweto.
The men’s identities cannot be revealed for now as they are yet to appear in court. The two are in police custody and are expected to appear in Germiston Magistrate’s Court today.
