Police have made a breakthrough in the stop-go banditry that has terrorised motorists on the R72.
A treasure trove of goods allegedly robbed from trucks, taxis and cars on the national link road has been found and seven suspected highway robbers arrested.
The value of the loot has been placed at between R60000 and R10000 by police.
Police said they arrested seven people suspected to be part of a syndicate which robbed motorists at the roadworks along the R72 outside Kidd’s Beach.
East London police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said the suspects were arrested yesterday morning by police officers patrolling the high-crime stretch of road.
Patrols were stepped up on the instruction of provincial police brass after a public outcry over increasingly brazen attacks on trucks and even luggage from a bus filled with screaming pupils.
Tana said one arrest led the police to a number of other suspects.
“At the places where the suspects were, police found suspected stolen goods. These include a laptop, tyres and registered mail,” said Tana.
They also recovered camera equipment, floor tiles, a computer hard drive, air-conditioner cables and restaurant food.
The suspects, who are aged 18 to 26, are believed to live in the nearby villages of Xhamini Ncera village 2 and Magqazeni.
Tana said patrol officers had spotted a truck with its doors open on the R72 near Gulu.
“The members stopped the truck. The driver said the truck had been opened at a stop-and-go on the R72.
“It is alleged this was when the truck was offloaded (robbed),” said Tana.
Police rushed to the scene but found no one.
“They drove past the crime scene, parked their vehicle a distance away, and walked back to the main road .”
They spotted four tyres dumped next to the road.
“Then they saw some cellphone lights in the bush.
“The suspects started whispering and were then pursued by the members,” said Tana.
Warning shots were fired but the suspects kept running.
One, a 26-year-old man from Xhamini location, was arrested.
“He led the police to other suspects. All of them were found with stolen goods.
“This is a breakthrough for the police in this area,” said Tana.
He said the goods matched descriptions from various victims who had reported being robbed at the stop-gos.
“These goods will form part of an ongoing investigation. The goods are estimated to be worth between R60000 and R100000.”
The Daily Dispatch has carried several reports on drivers’ complaints about robberies at the stop-go points. Some had their lives threatened if they resisted.
Kidd’s Beach police spokesman Captain Zimisele Nxafani said: “It is since our members have been patrolling there that they managed to catch these suspects. We hope this sends a message to would-be criminals. We won’t tolerate this.”
The suspects are due in court on Tuesday. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Cops bust stop-go ‘highway robbers’
A treasure trove of goods allegedly robbed from trucks, taxis and cars on the national link road has been found and seven suspected highway robbers arrested.
The value of the loot has been placed at between R60000 and R10000 by police.
Police said they arrested seven people suspected to be part of a syndicate which robbed motorists at the roadworks along the R72 outside Kidd’s Beach.
East London police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said the suspects were arrested yesterday morning by police officers patrolling the high-crime stretch of road.
Patrols were stepped up on the instruction of provincial police brass after a public outcry over increasingly brazen attacks on trucks and even luggage from a bus filled with screaming pupils.
Tana said one arrest led the police to a number of other suspects.
“At the places where the suspects were, police found suspected stolen goods. These include a laptop, tyres and registered mail,” said Tana.
They also recovered camera equipment, floor tiles, a computer hard drive, air-conditioner cables and restaurant food.
The suspects, who are aged 18 to 26, are believed to live in the nearby villages of Xhamini Ncera village 2 and Magqazeni.
Tana said patrol officers had spotted a truck with its doors open on the R72 near Gulu.
“The members stopped the truck. The driver said the truck had been opened at a stop-and-go on the R72.
“It is alleged this was when the truck was offloaded (robbed),” said Tana.
Police rushed to the scene but found no one.
“They drove past the crime scene, parked their vehicle a distance away, and walked back to the main road .”
They spotted four tyres dumped next to the road.
“Then they saw some cellphone lights in the bush.
“The suspects started whispering and were then pursued by the members,” said Tana.
Warning shots were fired but the suspects kept running.
One, a 26-year-old man from Xhamini location, was arrested.
“He led the police to other suspects. All of them were found with stolen goods.
“This is a breakthrough for the police in this area,” said Tana.
He said the goods matched descriptions from various victims who had reported being robbed at the stop-gos.
“These goods will form part of an ongoing investigation. The goods are estimated to be worth between R60000 and R100000.”
The Daily Dispatch has carried several reports on drivers’ complaints about robberies at the stop-go points. Some had their lives threatened if they resisted.
Kidd’s Beach police spokesman Captain Zimisele Nxafani said: “It is since our members have been patrolling there that they managed to catch these suspects. We hope this sends a message to would-be criminals. We won’t tolerate this.”
The suspects are due in court on Tuesday. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos