According to a media statement issued by the office of the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS, Gauteng, a team of law enforcement agencies arrested two suspects in connection to a spate of robberies that have been happening on the N3 Highway between Villiers and De Hoek Toll Gate on March 18.

The statement further indicated that suspects disguise themselves as police officers, using a vehicle fitted with blue lights and sirens, to pull over and hijack unsuspecting motorists.

One of the suspects was shot and wounded while the other one was arrested without injuries. Two victims were rescued unharmed after being held hostage inside the vehicle.

The team seized two unlicensed firearms with ammunition, a military-grade signal jammer, as well as SAPS regalia including uniforms and blue lights and sirens fitted to the suspects’ vehicle and false registration numbers.

The suspects are linked to over 30 hijackings on the N3 Highway and are expected to appear before Balfour Magistrates’ Court on March 20.

According to Morney Vos, a lead investigator at Specialised Security Services, the blue light gangs and spike gangs operating on highways are part of syndicates operating in a wider network, making it likely that the arrested suspects could be linked to Middelburg cases such as the murder of Middelburg resident, Johan Cowan in July last year.

Spesialis-eenheid verdink blouligbende van sakeman se moord

The Middelburg Observer previously reported on how Cowan was found deceased in his idling bakkie in Gauteng on Snake Road, with multiple gunshot wounds.

Mike Bolhuis’ Specialised Security Services was approached by Cowan’s family to assist in the ongoing investigation into his murder.

“These gangs operate in a very wide area across provinces, making it more difficult for detective branches to link or connect cross-border cases with another. The areas the blue light gang is known to operate in includes not only eMalahleni, but also Daveyton, Sebokeng, Thembisa and Tzakane to name a few. It is often experienced in these cases that victims may be robbed or hijacked in one area, with their vehicles and other possessions being recovered in other areas. This just shows how widely spread these gangs are situated.”

According to Vos, it cannot be confirmed whether the arrested suspects are linked to Cowan’s murder until the results on the fingerprints have been received.

“Unfortunately, for every arrest that is made, another ten gang members are readily available to take their place,” Vos said.

Read more:

Motoriste vrees blouligbende en hoofwegrowers se skrikbewind

Blouligbende en kapers het hoofweë in oorlogsone verander

Gewonde vrou op grond bly terugskiet op rowers