Eastern Cape police have arrested three house robbery suspects following a massive search operation in which the SAPS helicopter also played a role.
Police spokesperson, Captain Andre’ Beetge, said that the three suspects were arrested deep in the bushes near Stoney Croft farm in the Kinkelbos area outside Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
He said an intensive search was launched after two house robberies in Bathurst and Alexandria late last week.
“At the first robbery, a 76-year-old female was robbed of her Red Nissan 1400 bakkie, cash, flat screen TV and household goods on Thursday. She was tied up with shoelaces and found the next day by a relative,” Beetge said.
He said the next day another house robbery took place on Perdevlei Farm, apparently by the same suspects using the Red Nissan bakkie. “The complainant was stabbed with a knife before the suspects fled the scene with a flat-screen TV,” Beetge said.
He said police, responding to the robbery, noticed the Red Nissan bakkie on the R72 and a chase ensued. Beetge said that the bakkie stopped and the three suspects fled into the bushes.
He said the search was hindered because of the darkness but it continued on Saturday morning and involved PE K9 Unit, Tactical Response Unit, SAPS air-wing Helicopter and various SAPS units of Port Elizabeth, Kinkelbos, Paterson and Alexandria, as well as farmers and farm workers.
Beetge said the search paid off when three suspects, aged 24,34 and 48, were arrested.
He said they will face charges of house robbery, assault with intent to cause serious bodily injuries as well as the robbery of a motor vehicle when they appear in courts in Port Alfred and Alexandria on Monday.
Beetge said Motherwell Cluster Commander, Major General Dawie Rabie expressed his appreciation to all the various SAPS units that took part in the operation and also gave a special thanks to the farmers and farm workers for their assistance during the police search.
