Staff Reporter
Police in Harrismith, eastern Free State, are looking for about five suspects believed to be linked to two separate incidents which took place in the local farming area in which security guards and a pensioner were recently attacked.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said in a statement the victims escaped unharmed but were robbed of various valuable items.
In the first incident which happened on Monday at about 23:00, two security guards were surprised by four men armed with firearms, a spear and a knife.
The suspects allegedly broke into a storeroom and stole generator, a welding machine, a tool box, a grinder and a grill.
“They left them (guards) unharmed,” said Mophiring, adding a case of business robbery is now being investigated.
In the second incident which happened on Tuesday at about 16:15, Mophiring said a 77-year-old woman was on her farm when she heard water running outside the house.
“She went to inspect and found that it was a geyser and went back into the house inside her bedroom. She came out of the bedroom again and was surprised by a suspect who was in possession of a knife and demanded firearms and cash,” said the police spokesperson.
The suspect allegedly robbed her of her liquor bottles and fled the scene without harming her.
It was later discovered that the man gained entry through a window.
A case of house robbery is being investigated.
Police say anyone with information that may lead to the arrests and convictions of the suspects may contact Colonel Ben Bolsiek at the Free State Provincial Detective Service, Organised Crime, on 082 466 8530 or Captain Kokonyana 072 329 3974. They can also contact Crime Stop 08600 10111 or MySapsApp.
Meanwhile, a man was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday with nearly half a tonne of suspected stolen copper cable near Kroonstad.
Fezile Dabi District police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani said in a separate statement the suspect, aged 48, was arrested after being found in possession of 486.5kg of copper wire.
He was stopped by members of the police’s Kroonstad highway patrol who were conducting a stop-and-search operation on the N1.
Upon searching the black Chevrolette bakkie he was driving from Welkom towards Johannesburg, police found the copper cable with an estimated street value of R192 000 and confiscated it.
The suspect was expected to appear before the Kroonstad Magistrates Court this Wednesday for possession of suspected stolen copper cable.