Mpumalanga police arrest gang of suspected police station robbers

Mpumalanga police have arrested four suspects believed to be involved in the robbery of Kwaggafontein police station during which several guns were stolen from on-duty police officers.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the suspects, between the ages of 21 and 39, were intercepted on Friday whilst driving a Silver Hyundai i20 in eMalahleni, formerly known as Witbank.

He said police gathered information and assembled a dedicated team comprising of Witbank Crime Prevention, Tracking Team and Middleburg Flying Squad.

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“The operation proved to be successful as two unlicensed firearms with serial numbers filled off and 13 live ammunitions were recovered.

“In addition to the firearms and ammunitions, an undisclosed amount of cash and flavoured tobacco was found in their possession,” Mohlala said.

The recovered items, he said, are believed to have been acquired through a business robbery in the area.

Mohlala said the firearms, ammunition, vehicle, cash and tobacco were all confiscated for further investigation.

Cops robbed at gunpoint

In June last year, an unconfirmed number of men armed with guns pounced on Kwaggafontein police station in the Thembisile Hani local municipality, about 150Km north east of Pretoria.

The gang held up on-duty police officers and allegedly made off with four R5 assault rifles, three pump-action shotguns and three 9mm pistols with 83 rounds of ammunition, but no officers were harmed.

Following the attack, provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Daphney Semakaleng ordered the mobilisation of maximum resources to ensure that those behind the robbery were brought to book.

Mohlala did not say whether the four have been linked to the robbery, while lauding the police for preventing another possible police robbery.

Tricked and then tied up

Last September, a group of armed assailants hit the Grootvlei police station, also in Mpumalanga, and stole three 9mm pistols, one R5 rifle and one shotgun as well as about 180 rounds of ammunition.

The attackers posed as complainants who wanted to report a domestic violence case and convinced SA police members working at the community service centre (CSC) to unlock the door for them.

The would-be attackers left, but later the officers let them in.

Once inside, the group drew firearms, disarmed the two police officials, and tied them up before ransacking the safe and stealing guns and ammunition.

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