Tip-off from community members leads to arrest of TRIO crime syndicate

MARBLE HALL – Following a tip-off from members of the community about a planned burglary business which was to take place at a shop in Marble Hall area, police arrested five suspects aged between 32 and 42 on Friday 08 June 2018.

According to police, a blue Bosch grinder, five grinder blades, house breaking equipments, cash amount of money believed to have been stolen from the shop were recovered during the arrests.

Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, Limpopo Provincial Police Spokesperson, said the suspects were arrested while busy grinding the safe containing money inside the shop.

Ngoepe said the operation was on the ground conducting observations until the early hours of the morning when the suspects were arrested.

“The Tactical Intelligence driven Joint Operation composed of the Crime Intelligence Unit, Marble Hall police, Lezmin Security, Loskop Alarms and Marble Hall Police Reserve Force was activated after receiving a tip-off from members of the community about the burglary business which was going to happen at one of the shops in and around the Marble Hall policing area,” explained Ngoepe.

South African Police Service (Saps) Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Jan Scheepers has applauded all the police units and external role players who participated in the operation.

Scheepers said Saps in the province was determined to deal with all crime categories, especially TRIO crimes and requested members of the community to continue supporting police through partnership policing with quality and reliable information.

The arrested suspects, Collen Malau (39), Jafta Ntuli (34), Amos Matenchi (42), Sipho Mampuru (39) and Tshepo Mahlaela (32) appeared before the Groblersdal Magistrates Court on Monday, 11 June 2018 for business burglary and were denied bail.

Their matter was postponed to Friday 15 June 2018 for formal bail application.