The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has welcomed the breakthrough to curb truck-jackings following the arrest of several suspects in Midrand, Gauteng today.
During in intelligengence-driven operation, a multi-disciplinary team comprising of members from SAPS Crime Intelligence, the Johannesburg Flying Squad, Gauteng Highway Patrol, EMPD Specialised Task Team and JMPD K9 swooped in on suspects allegedly planning to hijack a truck between Pretoria and Johannesburg.
As the team entered the premises in President Park Midrand, they were met with gunfire by some of the suspects armed with rifles and handguns
There were 27 suspects on the premises. Four suspects were shot and killed while four others were wounded. A total of 23 suspects, including the four wounded suspects are under arrest.
The team seized three rifles including an AK-47 rifle, a Dashbrown rifle, a R5 rifle as well as 2 x pistols at the scene. The team further confiscated
15 vehicles at the scene of which four were either hi-jacked or stolen in the areas of Garsfontein, Silverton, Wierdebrug and Olifantsfontein.
The wounded suspects were taken to hospital under police guard while the remaining 19 suspects are being detained on charges of
attempted murder, conspiring to commit armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of vehicles suspected to stolen.
“The work done by this multidisciplinary integrated team today is a very signficant contribution to our efforts to curb organized crime in the country”, said General Sitole.
We continue to appeal to anyone who has any information on crime to please contact the SAPS Crime Stop number 086 00 10111
All information will be treated with strictest confidence and callers may remain anonymous.
