JOHANNESBURG, July 14 (ANA) – Police in Gauteng have arrested four suspects in connection with a spate of “follow-home robberies” from OR Tambo International Airport.
In a statement on Friday, police said the arrests were made on Thursday night following a crime intelligence-driven operation as part of efforts to foil follow-home robberies and other crimes in the area of the O R Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) and surrounding clusters.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the operation was conducted by a multi-disciplinary team from Head Office Crime Intelligence, the Gauteng Provincial Trio Task Team and other stakeholders.
“The team received information regarding suspects allegedly involved in the recent spate of robberies,” Mogale said. “During patrols on the R24 and R21, a suspicious vehicle was identified and followed at about 20:00. When the members attempted to stop the vehicle the occupants fired on them. The members returned fire and disabled the vehicle causing it to come to a halt on the R21 North outside the airport just before the Atlas Road off-ramp.
“Four suspects were arrested and three unlicensed firearms were recovered. The suspects will appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court soon on charges, including attempted murder and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The investigations are continuing and there is a possibility that the suspects could be linked to other crimes.”
Police said the latest arrests and seizure of firearms came shortly after three other successes during which three suspects were arrested, five unlicensed firearms recovered and a large consignment of drugs were seized.
– African News Agency (ANA)
