The Nelson Mandela Bay Crime Combating Unit‘s swift follow up on information received resulted in the recovery of a stolen rifle in Motherwell on the night of 8 February 2021.
It is alleged that at about 22:30 the Combating Unit members received and followed up on information of two males walking in Tyinira Street in Motherwell on route to NU 29 to drop off a firearm. Members patrolled the streets on the lookout for the suspects.
The suspects were eventually spotted and one male was seen carrying something wrapped in a blue blanket. As soon as members stopped, the person dropped the blanket and both males started running in different directions. A rifle with a scope was found inside the blanket. The rifle was reported stolen in Bethelsdorp in September 2006.
The suspects managed to evade arrest. An inquiry docket was opened for further investigation.
This is the second rifle confiscated by the unit within 3 days.
On Saturday, 6 February 2021 at about 21:15 the members once again followed up on information received of a white Nissan Tida transporting a rifle. The vehicle was spotted in Newell Street in Korsten and stopped. The driver of the vehicle was using the vehicle as an e-hailing taxi service.
There were three occupants in the vehicle. On searching the vehicle, a 303 BSA rifle, 102 x R5 rifle rounds, 35 x .303 rifle rounds and 9 x R1 rifle rounds were found in the vehicle. The rifle was stolen in Somerset East in October 2020.
An inquiry docket was opened for further investigation. Both rifles will be sent to ballistics for analysis.
