Police nab safe bombing suspects
"The task team will ensure that those who terrorise our community are arrested and convicted."
The West Rand Trio Task Team arrested four suspects on Thursday, 12 January in connection with the Central Meat Market and DIY Store safe bombings.
The suspects were arrested at various locations after police discovered some of the items stolen from the Central Meat Market robbery. The team, which has members from the Krugersdorp Police, recovered some of the stolen money as well as a coin collection believed to be worth millions of rands.
The team also recovered an unlicensed firearm believed to have been used to hold a security guard at gunpoint. The suspects allegedly tied up the security guard and proceeded to the business’ safe. They allegedly used explosives to gain access to the safe and stole the contents thereof.
Major General Mateisi, the West Rand Cluster Police commander, applauded the members for their continuous hard work. “The task team will ensure that those who terrorise our community are arrested and convicted,” Mateisi said.
A police informant, who wishes not to be named due to the nature of his work, said the Trio Task Team also allegedly recovered electrical equipment from the various addresses where the suspects were arrested. It is believed that this electrical equipment could be that which was stolen from the DIY Store in Monument on 9 January.
“The circumstances and nature of the two robberies are almost the same,” the informant told the News. “In both, explosives were used to gain access to the safes, and there were four perpetrators in each robbery.”
CCTV footage revealed the four perpetrators were not in a rush and spent almost three hours in the store. The suspects loaded equipment into a DIY company vehicle and drove away, only to return with explosives which they used to blow up the large safe.
The informant said there were many similarities between the crimes, but it cannot be stated officially that the crimes are connected until more evidence is found to prove the suspicion.
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