WESTERN CAPE – Focused operations conducted on Monday evening, 1 June 2020 led to the arrest of five suspects for crimes ranging from the possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition, hijacking, and armed robbery.
Two suspects were arrested shortly after members of the Western Cape Flying Squad were tipped off about a suspicious Toyota Avanza with two occupants inside.
The members were on patrol at about 20:15 when they spotted the vehicle parked in Klipfontein Road and while approaching it two occupants got out of the vehicle and ran away. Both suspects were caught and brought back to the vehicle and upon searching the vehicle police recovered a firearm with 15 rounds. The firearm was reported stolen in May 2019 in Gugulethu.
Meanwhile, three other suspects aged between 21 and 23 were also arrested for hijacking and armed robbery.
Two suspects were arrested at about 14:00 after they hijacked a vehicle two weeks ago in Ingqanga Street in Crossroads. The complainant was picking up a client when three other suspects also entered his vehicle. They then forced the complainant to get out of the vehicle and instructed him to sit at the back of the vehicle and drove away with the vehicle. He managed to jump out of the vehicle.
The other suspect was arrested at about 20:30 in Amsterdam Road by members of the National Public Order Policing Reserve Unit while they were on patrol in the Browns Farm area. The members came across a group of people standing at a scene where they found a man with head injuries. On further investigation, the members were informed by a complainant who identified the suspect as one of the armed suspects who was driving a Toyota Avanza and had robbed her cellular telephones and other valuables at her home in Browns Farm. The suspects were driving a Toyota Avanza at the time of the robbery. The suspect was then arrested and detained.
All five suspects aged between 21 and 41 will appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 03 June 2020 for the possession of an illegal firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, hijacking and armed robbery charges.