MBOMBELA – Three men were arrested on a farm in the Friedenheim area this morning. It is suspected they are be members of the notorious panga gang. If the suspects can be linked to any crimes will be established once finger-print analyses are completed.
Lowvelder reported on a number of panga attacks during the past few weeks.
One supect was tracked down and arrested on Saturday.
On Sunday, another attack happened in the Nelspruit Botanical Garden.
According to Mr Jacques Meiring of Bossie’s Justice, three men were spotted in the Friedenheim area last night.
A farmer walked in their direction when they stood at the farm’s gate. They ran away and security services were alerted to be on the lookout.
Two resident of Tsakani Silk farm also saw three men lurking in the grass and went closer to investigate. After one shot at the suspects, they ran to a neighbouring property. They were shot at again before they disappeared.
At 22:00, Meiring reported via Facebook that four armed men broke into a house at Timbali Technologies.
During this attack, a security guard was tied up in the same way that an animal is tied up before being branded.
He was then brutally assaulted. It could not be established if anythng was stolen.
Hi-Tech was alerted and immediately reacted.
An incident at Kokopelli restaurant followed.
Two armed suspects held management and staff hostage while they were cashing up. They demanded all of the cash and that the cash registers be emptied.
According to Meiring, one of the suspects even knew where the cash register was and asked where the safe was. He also asked where the laptop was and pointed to where it previously stood. Mr Nico Grobler from Hi-Tech reported that handbags and computer screens were also stolen. High-Tech Security were alerted and rushed to the scene. They were able to recover some of the stolen goods.
Lowvelder previously reported that co-owners Ms Lise Bouwer and Ms Elmarie Dry increased security on the premises after a robbery took place at Kokopelli in February this year. The two armed suspects still managed to enter the restaurant and commit the robbery.
Bossie’s Justice, Phoenix Security, the SAPS dog unit, J&M Security, African Security, Hi-Tech and First in Guards were on the scene last night.
This morning, an arrest was made after a community member spotted three suspects standing by a locked gate on his farm.
He approached them and knew that something was up when they ran away.
Community members and security companies were on the lookout for the three and they were arrested at 08:20 on Farm Wilderness, close to Bee-Eaters Farm.
“They were apprehended at the stables.
Their involvement in the recent panga attacks or any other incident can not be confirmed. Two of the three are in their twenties and their clothing matches that of the suspects wanted for these attacks. The third suspect appears to be a minor,” Meiring said.
For more on panga attacks, read here.
