Delmas cops arrest diesel thieves at Thabo Chweu Mine
The suspects hit the security guard with a fire extinguisher, because he was unwilling to give them the information they wanted.
A security guard was shot and others injured during an attempted diesel robbery at a local mine on Wednesday, March 30.
A woman security guard was on duty at the main gate of Thabo Chweu Mine at Delmas early that morning.
A bakkie stopped outside the guardroom and three armed men emerged from the bakkie.
They pointed 9mm pistols at the guard and asked the whereabouts of her colleagues.
Just then, her colleague emerged from the bathroom.
The two guards were forced into the guards’ room and there hands were tied.
The suspects then apparently wanted to know where to switch off the security cameras.
When the security guards did not know how to switch off the cameras, the attackers became violent and hit one of the guards over the head with a firearm.
They also damaged the cameras to stop them from recording.
The suspects then drove back onto the mine premises toward the workshop with one of the guards on board.
As there were too many activities, they (the suspects) decided to drive back to the main gate.
Here they hit the security guard with a fire extinguisher, because he was unwilling to give them the information they wanted.
In the meantime, workshop personnel’s suspicions were aroused and they alerted the security manager who then phoned the Delmas Police.
The police responded and arrested two of the suspects.
The suspects, aged 27 and 30, are both Zimbabwean nationals.
More suspects fled the scene.
The Delmas Police recovered a diesel pump and connecters in the vehicle, as well as 1000 litres of diesel that belongs to the mine.
The two suspects arrested were charged with business robbery.
As they were not in possession of passports, the police are cooperating with the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain their status within the border of South Africa.
More charges with regard to the contravention of the Immigrations Act may follow.
The provincial commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieut-Gen Semakaleng Manamela, has welcomed the arrest of the two suspects.
