Pretoria - Police in Limpopo have foiled an armed robbery planned for a local casino in Burgersfort, arresting a 35-year-old man in the process.
Police received information about suspects driving a Toyota Hilux 28GD6 and a Ford Ranger, both without number plates, spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said.
"The operation comprising members derived from [police] crime intelligence, detectives, the POCC (Police Operations Command Centre), the K9 (dog unit) and the public order police was activated to monitor the suspects. The said vehicles were then spotted along the R37 road from Praktiseer towards the casino," Mojapelo said.
"The police pounced on them and nabbed one of the suspect who resides at Mashishing in Mpumalanga. He was found in possession of a firearm with serial numbers filed off and eight live ammunition."
Mojapelo said intensified festive season operations currently in full swing around the gateway Limpopo province, including at ports of entry, had so far resulted in the arrest of at least 246 suspects during the past week and the confiscation of various items including 17 firearms, nine vehicles, money, knives, television sets, laptops and cellphones.
Suspects face a range of charges including murder, attempted murder, house robbery, rape, theft, illegal immigration, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, burglary and contravening the Road Traffic Act.
"The latest arrests were effected yesterday, [on Sunday] in the city of Polokwane, where three suspects were nabbed for house robbery that was committed in one of the houses in the CBD (central business district) in the early hours of Sunday morning," said Mojapelo.
During that arrest, police recovered an Audi vehicle, an unlicenced firearm and ammunition.