Lentswe, Khuma - After a trio of armed robbers was wiped out in a horrific car accident last week on the N12 after committing a robbery in Ikageng, the police traced one of the robbers who escaped injury to Khuma. Brig Sabatha Mokgwabone, police spokesperson, said joint effort between Northern Cape Crime Intelligence, Organised Crime, North West Organised Crime and Potchefstroom Public Order Police (POP), resulted in the arrest of the suspected robber (36) on Wednesday January 9 in Ext 9, Khuma.
He was nabbed after being found in possession of a firearm with a filed off serial number.
Further investigation showed that the gang of robbers was on a crime spree in the Northern Cape between October and December 2024. They were wanted for three business robberies, two armed robberies and an ATM bombing. The crimes were committed in Hartswater, Warrenton and Pampierstad.
Mokgwabone described how it all came together. “It transpired during the tracing of the suspects that three of them died in an accident in the early hours of Monday morning, January 6, while driving on the N12 on their way back to Khuma after committing a business robbery in Ikageng.
“Reports suggest that one was seriously injured and taken to hospital. The fifth suspect ran away from the accident scene. Some of the goods linked to the business robbery, were found inside his vehicle (he was traced to Khuma). It was also discovered that one of the deceased was previously arrested for assault and malicious damage to property committed between 2015 and 2021 in Vuwani, Limpopo.”
The NW Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng and the Provincial Commissioner of North Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola commended the members from both provinces for their collaboration, which led to the arrest and exposing of the suspects who terrorised business communities. The Provincial Commissioners pointed out that the investigation, which linked the suspects to offences in different provinces, indicates that crime has no boundaries and need collaborative efforts.
