Five suspects have appeared in the Bergville Magistrate’s Court after a farm attack in Bergville was solved by police within a matter of days. On Tuesday, September 17, at about 7.45pm, a 63-year-old Bergville farmer and his 60-year-old wife were at home watching TV when a group of about five armed suspects entered their house. The group demanded cash and firearms, and tied up the couple with cable ties. The suspects fled after taking the farmer’s two shotguns, two revolvers and a large amount of cash.

In a joint operation, Bergville police worked day and night together with members of the Land Borderline Control at Upper Tugela, Ladysmith police, Ladysmith K-9 Unit, Ladysmith TRT, Ladysmith Crime Intelligence & Protection Service (CIPS), Ladysmith Cluster Trio Crime Task Team and community-based organisation Secure SA to solve this crime. The joint effort yielded one arrest on Wednesday in Upper Tugela, where a large amount of the stolen cash was also recovered. This was followed on Thursday by the arrest in Pietermaritzburg of another suspect, allegedly the mastermind behind the crime.

A vehicle believed to have been used in the commission of the crime was also seized. The police operation continued on Thursday night, when three suspects were arrested in Bergville. At the same time, cash and the two stolen shotguns were recovered, while a vehicle used by the suspects (and suspected to be stolen) was seized. The five suspects appeared in the Bergville Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of suspected stolen property.