Police on Friday morning, 29 January 2021 recovered two AK-47 rifles with loaded magazines, an R-1 rifle with two loaded magazines, and two loaded pistols at a house in Lombardy East near Alexandra in Johannesburg. Inside the yard were ten vehicles and the eleventh vehicle outside. These cars are suspected to be used as getaway cars during the commission of crime.
On Friday morning at approximately 07h30, police from the local police station were conducting routine patrols when they observed a suspicious white Toyota Quest with three occupants. The members then noticed a firearm on one of the occupants who alighted from the car and approached to search the man. It is alleged that the armed suspect then drew his firearm and fired shots at the police. An unconfirmed number of armed men are reported to have emerged from a nearby house and a shootout between the police and the suspects ensued.
The members arrested one suspect while the others fled on foot and others in two vehicles.
Upon searching the house and a cottage police found two AK-47 rifles, an R1 rifle, two pistols, magazines loaded with ammunition of different calibre, a car jamming device, hand gloves and other robbery implements.
Inside the yard were ten vehicles and eleventh vehicle was outside. Three of the cars, a BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi A4, came positive as hijacked in Sunnyside, Daveyton, and Kwa-Mhlanga in Mpumalanga Province.
Preliminary evidence suggests that the suspects were in the middle of plotting to commit an aggravated crime before they were disturbed by the police.
Police have launched a search for the suspects that escaped while an investigation is underway to establish if the arrested suspect and the weapons could be linked to other crimes.
The Provincial Commissioner of police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, applauded the officers who were observant and vigilant during their patrol.
“It is clear that these suspects were in a meeting, conspiring to commit a serious and violent crime that could have resulted in injuries and/or fatalities of innocent citizens. In the past few weeks police in Gauteng have foiled serious robberies, recovered high calibre firearms where suspects have succumbed to injuries during shootout with the law enforcement. This is an indication that police in the province are on high alert to protect the properties and lives of the citizens,” said Lieutenant General Mawela.
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Police intercept a potential violent crime, recover high caliber firearms and ammunition at a house near Alexandra https://t.co/1q5CSy8ZpO #ArriveAlive #Crime @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/pZbVvgExLK
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) January 29, 2021