Another alleged mine diesel thief behind bars in Delmas
A case of business robbery was opened with the Delmas police whereafter a team of experts in the field of investigation was assembled and immediately began to trace the suspects.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has applauded members of the Delmas Detective unit for their swift performance.
This comes after the arrest of a 31-year-old male suspect. He was apprehended in connection with a robbery that took place at Wescoal Mine in Delmas on Wednesday April 6, at about 02:00.
According to a media statement released by Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, spokesperson of Mpumalanga police, a group of armed suspects stormed the Wescoal Mine.
An on-duty security guard was apparently sitting in his vehicle when two suspects wearing balaclavas overpowered him. He was then instructed at gunpoint to get out of the vehicle and was tied up with cable ties.
More suspects appeared, ordered the security guard back into the bakkie, and drove toward the office.
Three more victims, including the supervisor, the geologist, and a mechanic were held at gunpoint and apparently tied up with cable ties.
The suspects then robbed the victims of three bakkies, a diesel bowser with 1 000 litres of diesel as well as a water pump and drove off with the four victims thrown into the back of one of the bakkies.
(Photo: Supplied)
It was further reported that two of the bakkies were pulling trailers, one with a diesel bowser and the other with a water pump. The suspects are said to have driven via the Kendal gravel road. After about three kilometres, they abandoned the bakkie in which the four victims were held and fled in the other two bakkies.
The mechanic apparently managed to untie himself whereafter he freed the three other victims. The Bidvest Security Company was contacted who in turn notified the Delmas Police Station.
A case of business robbery was opened with the Delmas police, whereafter a team of experts in the field of investigation was assembled and immediately began to trace the suspects.
Breakthrough came on April 6, at around 13:00, when Delmas police detectives cracked the case and recovered the stolen vehicles.
One of the suspects was arrested. The investigation continued and detectives managed to recover the alleged stolen diesel bowser, hidden in the bushes on the R42, not far from the Wescoal Mine.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the suspects were most probably busy draining the diesel into plastic diesel containers when one of them was caught.
The other suspects evaded arrest and at the time of going to print, were still at large.
A maroon Toyota Corolla, which the suspects allegedly used, was seized. Inside were cans filled with diesel. Police confiscated the vehicle as it was probably used during the commissioning of the crime.
At the time of going to print, the suspect was expected to appear before the Delmas District Court on Friday, April 8, facing charges of being in possession of suspected stolen property.
“More charges against the suspect could possibly follow in relation to the business robbery,” concluded Manamela.
