The police acting on a tip off from Crime Intelligence, arrested a group of men who were in the midst of planning a cash-in-transit robbery.
Earlier today, the South African Police Service Tracking Team comprising of Crime Intelligence, the Hawks, forensic experts and other units, acted on information that the group was gathered at a house in Midrand, central Gauteng Province, where they were planning a heist.
The multi-disciplinary operation was conducted in which 12 suspects were arrested.
They were found in possession of three firearms, two rifles and a pistol and several rounds of ammunition.
The team also recovered six hijacked vehicles – a motorcycle and five sedans.
“This is not the first time our teams have acted proactively by arresting syndicates before they actually commit a robbery and it will not be the last if this criminality persists”, said General Sitole.
“It is clear that the nation is fed up with crime and they are increasingly teaming up with us as law enforcement to bring these perpetrators to book”, added General Sitole.
A docket of conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles is being registered. The suspects will be appearing in the Midrand Magistrate’s Court on Monday on these charges.
In the meantime, the firearms will be sent for ballistic testing to establish if they were used to commit other crimes.