Six men were due to appear in the Marquard Magistrates Court on Friday after being found in possession of eight network batteries believed to have been stolen.
Police spokesperson for the eastern Free State, Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, said the suspects were arrested following a joint effort by members of the SA Police Service, private security and farmers.
He said police received information from the community at about 3am last Wednesday saying some unknown men were digging up network boxes and cutting copper inside a manhole.
“The police activated and mobilised other members and arrested the first suspect who is a foreign national near a filling station while sitting inside a vehicle,” said Mophiring.
The man was arrested for possession of suspected stolen property after eight network power box batteries were found in his possession and failed to properly account for them.
While pursuing the matter with the help of some farmers, the police received information at about 8am that some five men were trying to hitch-hike near a certain farm to Senekal.
“The team quickly responded and arrested the three suspects who were successfully linked to the initially arrested suspect. Two other suspects managed to escape but were chased and arrested near a farm going to Senekal. Four of the six suspects are Illegal immigrants and two are South Africans,” he explained.
The six are aged between 23 and 30 years of age.
They are facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act, possession of suspected stolen property and damage of infrastructure.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane applauded the community and the team for the prompt arrests and urged them to “continue working together to fight crime”.
Meanwhile, three suspected armed robbers were sniffed out of their hideout in Thaba Nchu near Serwalo on Thursday morning following a petrol station robbery.
Police spokesperson in Mangaung, Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli, said in a separate statement four armed robbers arrived at the petrol garage just after midnight on Wednesday and threatened the security guard with a firearm before tying him up with wire and fleeing the scene with a undisclosed amount of cash and cans of motor vehicle oil.
The suspects demanded keys from the guard and gained access to the back offices.
And while others were busy helping themselves to the oil cans and cigarettes, others were busy grinding the safe to access the money inside.
The four then left the security guard with his hands and feet tightly fastened with a wire.
The guard was only rescued by staff starting duty at 5am.
The matter was reported to the police and a case of armed robbery was opened at Thaba Nchu Police Station and a manhunt was launched.
Luck ran out for three of the suspects aged between 38 and 40 after they were traced and found near Serwalo in Thaba Nchu at about 2am on Thursday and were arrested.
They were found with an undisclosed amount of money suspected to have been stolen during the robbery.
One suspect remains at large.
The three were due to appear in the Thaba Nchu Magistrates Court on Friday for business robbery. – Staff Reporter