FREE STATE – The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Bethlehem are investigating a case of tampering with essential infrastructure and theft of railway track parts following the arrest of ten suspects between the age of 25 and 59 yesterday by local police and detectives in Vrede.

It is alleged that on Thursday, 24 March 2022, police received information about the tampering of essential infrastructure at Ascent Road near Vrede. The police immediately operationalized the information and when they arrived at Klipfontein farm they found the suspects offloading railway track parts from a trailer. Preliminary investigation established that the track parts were removed from a railway line on the farm. The suspects were arrested and a case was handed over to the Hawks’ for further investigation.

The suspects are expected to appear in court soon.

Source: South African Police Service