Gauteng: Seven AK47s amongst high calibre firearms recovered during a foiled robbery

Parktown – Acting Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Major General Andrè Wiese has commended the collaboration between members of South African Police Service and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department for foiling a potentially violent robbery, arresting six suspects and recovering nine firearms with ammunition as well as three vehicles that are suspected to be stolen.

In an intelligence-driven operation, the members operationalised information of a stolen vehicle and pounced on a house in Kwa-Thema on Monday, 23 March 2020, where three vehicles which are two white Mercedes Benz and Ford Kuga were found inside the yard. Upon searching the vehicles and premises, police recovered seven AK47 rifles, two other high calibre rifle, explosives and ammunition of different firearms.

Soon after this recovery, police went on a manhunt for the suspects. The search paid off when six suspects were arrested within the vicinity after they were found with two more pistols and a VW Polo.

Preliminary investigations have already indicated possible linkage of the suspects and their vehicles to robbery cases. It was also discovered that the two Mercedes Benz was reported stolen in Jeppestown and Sunnyside, recently.

Further investigations will be conducted to establish other linkages of the suspects, the vehicles as well as the firearms to previous violent crimes.

“Thank you to all the members who were involved in this successful operation and I believe these arrests will help us solve lots of robbery cases where these suspects might be linked,” said the Acting Provincial Commissioner.