The quick response by members from Middelburg Flying Squad and their counterparts in Benoni led to the recovery of a hijacked vehicle, two reportedly stolen firearms with ammunition, a cellphone and the arrest of three suspects approximately 21 minutes after a vehicle was hijacked from the owner in Delmas this morning, Wednesday, 27 September 2023.
According to information, the victim was from Witbank when he was attacked by three alleged hijackers, two armed with firearms at about 08:00.
It is further said that the victim was robbed of his white double cab Ford Ranger as well as his mobile phone. He immediately alerted a tracking company and friends who later cascaded the message to the Police. Members of Flying Squad from both Middelburg and Benoni were sensitized about the incident and they were on a lookout.
The said car was then spotted by the astute members on the R42 Road towards Bronkhorstspruit and at about 08h21 am, the vehicle was pulled over. It was during this period whereby three suspects were found in possession of two firearms with ammunition. According to police records, the weapons were reported stolen in Kwadukuza and Meyerton in 2022 and 2023 respectively. A 16 channel jamming device as well as a mobile phone were found in possession of the suspects and police are convinced that the recovered cell phone belongs to the victim who was robbed earlier.
The confiscated firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether they were not previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere. More charges could possibly be added against the suspects as the investigation continues.
The three suspects aged between 28 and 37 were then arrested and charged for possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition, possession of suspected stolen properties and would possibly face a charge of hijacking and robbery. One of the arrested suspects is a Mozambican national without a valid documentation to be in the country whilst the other two are South African citizens. The investigators are working in collaboration with officials from the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain the status of the Mozambican national but for now he was charged for contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa.
The three are expected to appear at the Delmas Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Wednesday 28 September 2023 facing the said charges.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela commended members for collaborating their forces and resources which resulted in the subsequent arrest of the suspects and recovery of the said items, including the vehicle.
Content retrieved from: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=48632.
