PARKTOWN - Provincial Commissioner of the police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has commended an integrated team of law enforcement agencies following the arrest of two suspects, aged 37 and 45 in Kempton Park on Thursday, 21 July 2022, after they were found with hijacked Lexus and Golf 7 that are suspected to have been used as getaway cars during the commission of crimes that include cash-in-transit and business robberies.

Police officers from Crime Intelligence have been following and monitoring a gang that is suspected to be responsible for serious and violent crimes around Gauteng.

Information was received on Thursday, 21 July 2022, that the suspects, who are driving a Lexus, will be around Ekurhuleni, to hijack a vehicle.

An operational team, consisting of SAPS Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit, SAPS Johannesburg K9 Unit, Gauteng Economic Crimes and Essential Infrastructure Crime Intelligence, Cap Security and Fidelity Specialized Services was activated to intercept the suspects.

A silver Lexus was spotted travelling together with a white Golf 7, at a high speed in Kempton Park.

The team pursued the vehicles and a shootout ensued. Both vehicles were intercepted and two suspects were arrested after they were found with two unlicensed firearms.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the Lexus was fitted with a false registration plate and that it was reportedly hijacked in Kempton Park in June 2022, while the Golf 7 had just been hijacked in the same area.

The arrested suspects are expected to appear before Kempton Park Magistrates' Court facing charges of car hijacking, possession of reportedly hijacked vehicles, possession of unlicensed firearms and attempted murder.

"I’m pleased with this collaboration of law enforcement officers. They are always a step ahead of criminals. These suspects will be profiled and firearms taken for ballistic tests, to establish if they are linked to other crimes," said Lieutenant General Mawela.

Source: South African Police Service