Their live location was still active, allowing the task team to accompany the man to the indicated address at Nkuna Stand, Winterveldt.
Picture: Arrive Alive
Six suspects were arrested in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery and carjacking in Winterveldt, following an incident that began when a man approached members of the Tshwane District Online Task Team for help.
On Monday at around 12.15pm, members of the task team were conducting crime prevention patrols in the Winterveldt area when a man driving a blue Volkswagen Golf approached them.
The man reportedly told the task team he had travelled to Winterveldt to find his friends, whom he suspected were being robbed.
Live location shared
According to Arrive Alive reports, the man said he had spoken to one of his friends by phone when he heard an unfamiliar voice in the background.
He then ended the call, and repeated attempts to contact his friend were unsuccessful.
The man further informed the members that, shortly before communication was lost, his friend had shared a live location with him via WhatsApp.
The live location on their cellphones was still active, allowing the task team to accompany the man to the indicated address at Nkuna Stand, Winterveldt.
The men were approached and searched, and officers found several cellphones in their possession.
Victims recognise suspects
The man who had alerted the authorities identified two of the cellphones as belonging to his friends.
The suspects were then apprehended and taken to Loate South African Police Service (Saps) for further investigation.
Upon arrival at the police station, officers encountered victims who reported that they had been robbed.
Stolen phones
The victims positively identified some of the suspects as individuals who were present during the robbery.
They also identified the two recovered cell phones as their property.
While a preliminary investigation was underway, the members received information about a suspicious vehicle parked near a well-known supermarket.
Suspects fail to escape
They proceeded to the location and found a white Volkswagen Golf that had allegedly been taken during the armed robbery.
Police spotted around four men near the vehicle. Once they noticed the police vehicle, the men fled on foot.
This resulted in a chase as members pursued them and managed to arrest two suspects who were subsequently linked to the armed robbery.
Arrive Alive reports that investigations are still underway to determine whether the suspects can be linked to other criminal activities.
