New Brighton – On 2 July 2015 at approximately 20H15, two police members of New Brighton were called to a complaint of domestic violence in Mbilini Street, Kwazakele, Port Elizabeth. On their arrival eight armed suspects stormed their vehicle. The female police member as passenger barely managed to send a distress radio call to all police vehicles in the area. One of the suspects strangulated her to stop her from broadcasting the radio call. Both of the police members were in the process overpowered and pointed with fire arms and forcibly disarmed of their police fire arms.
Fortunately the other police vehicles in the area responded immediately to the distress call. The suspects fled the scene, some between the houses and some in a silver Proton sedan, and within minutes this vehicle was spotted by SAPS Flying squad members and a car chase ensued. The chase ended at the corner of Mathodlana and Mlalandle Street, where the vehicle stopped and five suspects attempted to flee. The SAPS members managed to arrest three of them and confiscated two fire arms which was in their possession. (.38 special revolver and 9mm pistol)
The rest of the gang (five suspects) are still at large with the two robbed police fire arms.
One of the three arrested suspects has been identified as one of the most wanted suspects that is sought by SAPS for the past three years. This 29 year old male has been sought for a string of robbery cases and murder in Port Elizabeth area up to as far as Cradock in the Eastern Cape. The other two suspects are aged 48 and 21.
This is the second incident in the past ten days where the most wanted criminals in Port Elizabeth have been arrested. Last week two other most wanted suspects were arrested and also two fire arms confiscated that was in their possession. These three most wanted criminals are now safely in custody awaiting their court appearances for the crimes they have been linked with, and with them their accomplices. The South African Police Service Cluster Commander for Motherwell Cluster, Major General Funeka Siganga responded: “We are sweeping our policing areas and we are pleased that we have managed to arrest these most wanted criminals that have been responsible for so many robbery and murder cases and terrorising our community. We have detected information on various occasions that these criminals were planning to attack and rob our police men and women for their fire arms. Last night’s attack confirms this, however we have shown them that we will not be soft targets.”
The suspects arrested last night is currently charged with Armed Robbery and Possession of Unlicensed Fire Arms and will appear in the New Brighton Magistrates court on Monday 6 July 2015.
MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE – MEDIA CENTRE, EASTERN CAPE
Captain Andre Beetge
South African Police Service
Corporate Communication
Motherwell
South Africa Today – South Africa News
