SAPS
Mpumalanga police arrested a suspect and are still hunting his accomplices after four people were abducted during a robbery at Wescoal Mine in Delmas.
Provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said a group of armed suspects stormed onto the premises at around 2 am on Wednesday morning, overpowered the security officer, and held him, a Supervisor, Geologist, and the Mechanic at gunpoint.
They were tied up before they took three bakkies, one pulling a diesel bowser with 1000 litres of fuel as well as a water pump.
Mohlala said they drove off with the victims on the back of one of the bakkies which was abandoned about three kilometres from the mine. The men then fled in the mine’s two other vehicles.
He said the mechanic was able to free himself and the other three before alerting a private security company and then the police.
Mohlala said the stolen bakkies were later recovered at Botleng, one near a cemetery and the other near a local sports ground, by a team assembled to probe the robbery.
He said further investigation led to the arrest of one suspect and the recovery of the diesel bowser in some bushes where the fuel was being transferred into containers.
The suspect will appear in court in Delmas on Friday on charges of being in the possession of suspected stolen property. Mohlala said further charges could be added related to the armed robbery.
