Robbers targeting local schools nabbed by police

BURGERSFORT – Two men appeared in the Praktiseer Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of business robbery. They were remanded in custody.

Rafiki Cassma (41) and Johannes Nchabeleng (34), both from Witbank, were arrested on Friday morning.
The two were arrested during an operation that was conducted by members of crime intelligence, Tubatse Vispol and detectives.

The arrest followed burglaries at several schools in the Tubatse policing area in Mabulane and Bogwasha circuits.
“The suspects have been on the radar of detectives for some time. This comes after several schools that included Pae Pae Secondary School, Mokobola Primary School and Kweledi Secondary Schools were burgled during the month of March. Laptops, desktops, printers and other items were stolen,” revealed Limpopo SAPS spokesman, Brig Motlafelo Mojapelo.

Mojapelo said they received information about the suspects who were planning to commit further burglaries in and around Tubatse.

“The team managed to intercept the two men driving in a white Isuzu bakkie with false registration numbers on the Praktiseer road.”

The suspects were found in possession of Acer and Lenovo laptops, a Telefunken DVD player and a Samsung flat-screen television set. The items were allegedly stolen from Mokobola Primary School.

The suspects were also found in possession of two 38-special revolvers with the serial numbers filed off and five rounds of ammunition. The Isuzu bakkie was confiscated.

Limpopo’s provincial commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, has commended the members for accurately acting on the information received and arrested the suspects.

“These arrests that were made will go a long way in eradicating burglaries at schools and other premises.
“The suspects have already been positively linked with burglary incidents at the mentioned schools and were remanded in custody until July 1 for formal bail application.”
Police investigations continue.