Following police confirmation last weekend of the arrest of five suspects linked to the spate of armed robberies and other serious crimes in the Theo Martins Poort – Magalies Mountain area along the R-80 Mabopane Highway, four more suspects have been arrested in this regard.
A number of other victims have in the past week come forward, some with registered cases and some with no cases which were subsequently newly registered by the police for further investigation. The close collaboration between police and the victims in the prosecutorial-guided investigation, has led to this arrest of four suspects with three of them linked to a murder reported at Akasia SAPS in September 2020, bringing the total number of arrests to nine. The fourth suspect, a 19-year old, has been linked to two armed robbery cases, one reported at Pretoria North in May this year and a second incident reported at Hercules SAPS in August 2020.
Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has welcomed this latest arrest.
“Ours as the SAPS is to ensure that our communities are and feel safe and secure at all times. The hard work by the team of investigators and the results thereof, will not only bring to a screeching halt, the reign of terror by criminals in the vicinity of the Theo Martins Poort – Magalies Mountain area along the R-80 Mabopane Highway, but will also take us a long way in restoring public confidence in the SAPS,” remarked the Provincial Commissioner in appreciation of the multi-disciplinary team.
The suspects will appear in Court in due course.
The investigations will continue as police are of the view that there could be more suspects, while also hoping that more victims would come forward.
Police have also appreciated the role played by members of the public who have to this end provided valuable information that is assisting in the investigation.
