In a targeted operation under the #SaferFestiveSeason campaign, the Mangaung Metro Crime Combating Task Team has arrested two men in connection with a burglary at a Botshabelo bottle store and the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The arrests followed an intelligence-driven operation after Crime Intelligence Gatherers were tasked with tracing suspects involved in a burglary at the Re-a-hola Complex. According to police reports, the suspects attempted to blast open a drop-safe using explosives but were unsuccessful. The failed attempt resulted in one of the suspects sustaining an injury. Security camera footage from the scene was used by police to identify the individuals involved.
The first breakthrough came when a 55-year-old suspect was spotted and arrested while walking along a road in J-Section, Botshabelo. A subsequent search of his home led to the recovery of evidence linked to the crime.
A second suspect, aged 45, was traced to a residence in F-Section. A search of this property uncovered an unlicensed .22mm calibre rifle, along with a significant cache of ammunition. The seized items included seventy-four live .22mm Hirtenberger rounds, thirteen green 12-gauge shotgun shells, twenty-nine red 12-gauge shotgun shells, and cleaning rods.
Both suspects were subsequently arrested for the business burglary at the Re-a-hola Complex. A separate case docket for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition was opened, with charges brought against the 45-year-old suspect.
The two men are scheduled to appear before the Botshabelo Magistrate’s Court soon to face the charges.
