Johannesburg – Four armed men travelling in two vehicles have been arrested at the N17, Gosforth Tall Gate, Gauteng, where police recovered three rifles with magazines.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said earlier Tuesday, (26 November 2024), that a multidisciplinary team of law enforcers acted on intelligence about a group of men en route to commit a robbery in Johannesburg.
The team comprised the SA Police Service’s Gauteng Tactical Response Team, Anti-Gang Unit, Gauteng Traffic, Airwing and private security companies.
“Two suspected vehicles were followed from Wadeville until Gosforth Tall Gate, where they were stopped and searched,” said Colonel Nevhuhulwi.
“Three rifles with magazines and ammunition were recovered.
“Further investigations revealed that one of the vehicles, a Lexus was fitted with false registration number plates and was stolen.
“Both vehicles used by the suspects were also seized.”
Colonel Nevhuhulwi said the suspects were arrested and will soon appear before the court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The arrests come a day after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu announced crime stats from 1 July to 30 September 2024, in which community-reported serious crimes showed an overall decline of 5.1%.
“Specifically, contact crime decreased by 3.0%, property-related crime saw a reduction of 9.9%, and other serious crime decreased by 3.4%,” Minister Mchunu said.
“Focusing on contact crime, the statistics indicate that murder decreased by 5,8%, sexual offenses by 2.5%, and robbery with aggravating circumstances by 8,8%.”
The Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Policing, Major General Fred Kekana “welcomed” the arrest of the suspected armed robbers.
