The syndicate is liked to business robberies, armed robberies and an ATM bombing in the Northern Cape. File picture: Independent Newspapers
A CROSS-province police operation led to the arrest of a key suspect linked to a string of violent crimes in the Northern Cape.
An intensive investigation and a joint operation by the Northern Cape Crime Intelligence and Organised Crime units, the North West Organised Crime unit, and the Potchefstroom Public Order Police, culminated in the arrest of a 36-year-old man in Khuma Location, just outside Stilfontein, on January 8.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, the suspect was apprehended while in possession of a firearm with its serial number removed.
His arrest is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into a criminal syndicate suspected of carrying out multiple armed robberies and an ATM bombing in the Northern Cape.
Crime spree across the Northern Cape
The suspect and his alleged accomplices have been linked to at least six major crimes in the Northern Cape between October and December 2024. These include three business robberies, two armed robberies, and an ATM bombing in Hartswater, Warrenton, and Pampierstad.
The police believe the gang operated across provincial borders, with their last known crime occurring in Ikageng, Potchefstroom. However, their criminal activities came to an abrupt halt in the early hours of January 6 when three of the suspects were killed in a high-speed car crash on the N12 while fleeing from the scene of a business robbery.
Getaway takes a fatal turn
Reports indicate that five members of the syndicate were inside the getaway vehicle when it crashed. Three died instantly, while a fourth remains hospitalised with serious injuries. A fifth suspect reportedly fled the scene on foot.
The police recovered stolen goods inside the wrecked vehicle, linking the group to the Ikageng business robbery.
Investigators later identified one of the deceased suspects as having a prior criminal record in Limpopo for assault and malicious damage to property between 2015 and 2021.
Police hail cross-province collaboration
Meanwhile, the arrested suspect was scheduled to appear in the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on January 10 for unlawful possession of a firearm. More charges could follow as police continue to unravel the full extent of the syndicate's activities.
The North West acting provincial commissioner, Major-General Patrick Asaneng, and the Northern Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, praised the combined efforts of law enforcement in both provinces.
The commissioners emphasised that crime is not confined by borders and requires a collaborative approach to combat. They acknowledged that the suspects had “terrorised” businesses across the Northern Cape and affirmed law enforcement's commitment to bringing anyone involved in the syndicate to justice.
Investigations are ongoing, with authorities working to track down the remaining fugitive. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Crime Stop number 08600 10111, their nearest police station, or make use of the MySAPS app.