Pretoria – Five people have been arrested in Fordsburg, Johannesburg, for the possession of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, provincial police spokesperson, Captain Xoli Mbele said on Monday.
“Police in conjunction with the Johannesburg K9 Unit arrested five suspects between the ages of 30 and 66 for possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle, and possession of two unlicensed firearms and ammunition at Fordsburg on (Monday) at 10am. One of the arrested suspects is an ex-police officer that was chased out of the service for corruption,” said Mbele.
He said the arrests were made after police had received a tip-off from a community member about a suspicious vehicle, the white Audi A3, with five occupants.
“Police rushed to the said streets, searched the suspects and recovered two unlicensed firearms with no serial numbers and live rounds. The vehicle also tested positive that it was reported stolen at Cullinan in September 2018,” said Mbele.
The stolen Audi. Photo: SAPS
He said the recovered firearms would be sent for ballistic testing to ascertain if they had been used in committing violent crimes.
“Investigation is under way and suspects will appear soon in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court. Johannesburg central police station commander brigadier Ivan Perumal commended the good working relationship between the community and the police (which assisted in solving the crime),” said Mbele.
In an unrelated incident, Mbele said a man was pushed out of a window from the eighth floor of the Legae Building in the Johannesburg city centre after he demanded R100 that he was owed.
“It is alleged that the suspect and his brother-in-law assaulted a 25-year-old male at Legae building on June 11. The victim was enjoying himself with (one of the) suspects in his apartment, when he requested his R100. One suspect stabbed him with a knife while (the assailant’s) brother-in-law hit him with a beer bottle,” said Mbele.
“They pushed him out of the window from the eighth floor. The victim sustained serious injuries to his body and was taken to hospital by an ambulance. He is still recovering in hospital and the knife used in the commission of the crime was recovered. One suspect is still at large and an investigation is under way.”