A gang of twelve men were arrested after the police received a tip-off that they were en route to commit a business robbery at a mall in Benoni on Monday.
Tip-off robbery
The suspects were found in possession of firearms and driving three cars fitted with false number plates.
Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said the police organised multidisciplinary teams to track down the suspects and tail their movements after getting the information.
“The information was operationalised and a multidisciplinary police team consisting of members from SAPS Tactical Response Team Gauteng, Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit, Provincial Crime Intelligence, Johannesburg K-9, Johannesburg Flying Squad, Putfontein Crime Prevention Unit, Putfontein Detectives, CAP Security, and Fidelity Specialized Services kept a close observation,” said Masondo.
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After tracking the suspects, they intercepted them from Johannesburg en route to Benoni and arrested all twelve men.
Several firearms and ammunition recovered
They recovered three unlicensed firearms with 23 live rounds and confiscated three vehicles the suspects were travelling in.
The provincial commissioner General Elias Mawela has praised the team of law enforcement agencies for preventing another robbery that might have claimed the lives of innocent people.
He also applauded them for reacting swiftly to tip-offs.
“The police will continue to strive to be ahead of the criminals and to protect the lives and properties of the people in Gauteng. More police officers have been deployed at the areas that are regarded as hotspots, to ensure that people in Gauteng are and feel safe this festive season,” said Mawela.
Masondo added that they will also look into the suspects to determine if they are linked to other crimes.
The firearms will be sent for ballistic tests to check if they were not used in other crimes while investigations continue. The suspects will appear in court soon.
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