A Tip-Off helps the cops to the arrest of a total of nine ATM bombing suspects.
The suspects, aged between 28 and 43, were arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning, 9 March after police acted on intelligence about the suspects traveling from Giyani in Limpopo to Gauteng.
The police intercepted two vehicles, a white sedan with four occupants and a maroon sedan with five occupants on the R81 highway near Mall of the North in Polokwane.
During the search of the vehicles, the police recovered explosives from both cars, two illegal firearms with 33 live rounds of ammunition and dye-stained cash, suspected to be proceeds from the ATM bombings.
Limpopo police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Thakeng said the two vehicles were also confiscated.
“The suspects are believed to be part of a syndicate responsible for a series of ATM bombings that have terrorised the province between 2023 and 2024,” he said.
He said the suspects consist of four South African nationals and five foreign nationals who are illegal in the country.
“They face multiple charges including possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of illegal explosives, possession of dye-stained money and contravention of the Immigration Act for the five undocumented foreign nationals,” he said.
They will appear before various magistrate courts in the province soon.
The arrests come after a group of armed men allegedly attacked a fuel station in Morudji Village outside Bolobedu on Friday, 7 March, where they held employees at gunpoint before bombing the ATM.
The suspects left empty handed as the ATM was empty.
“The following day on Saturday, 8 March, the same group targeted another ATM in Giyani where an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen,” said Thakeng.
He said while fleeing, the suspects encountered police, resulting in a shoot-out.
“The suspects abandoned one of their getaway vehicles, a silver sedan before escaping on foot. Police confiscated the vehicle as evidence,” he said.
Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe commended the swift response of the police teams and their collaborative efforts in bringing the criminals to justice.
“The suspects thought they could evade justice, but our dedicated teams remained relentless in their pursuit,” she said.
