ATM bomb suspects arrested in Gauteng
2011-02-09 20:11
Johannesburg - Three members of a suspected ATM-bombing syndicate - including an SA Air Force member - have been arrested in Gauteng, Limpopo police said on Wednesday.
Colonel Motlafela Mojapelo said the arrests followed a break-in at a shop in Polokwane on Friday in which jewellery, a Kruger Rand worth R14 000 and soccer World Cup gold coins worth R150 000 were taken.
During the arrests, made on Tuesday, police discovered "tools that are used to break open ATMs" such as "a grinder and screwdrivers".
He the two men and a woman, all originally from Limpopo, were allegedly linked to a syndicate which had bombed ATMs in Gauteng and Limpopo.
They faced charges of business robbery.
A fourth alleged member of the syndicate, who was also allegedly involved in the Polokwane robbery, fled before he could be apprehended by police.
He was Sampson Malapane Mokgalaka and was married to the woman arrested.
Mokgalaka was out on bail pending his appeal against a life sentence he received for murdering a pharmacist and Limpopo health department employee in 2007.
Mojapelo said police were hoping to arrest more members of the syndicate soon.
- SAPA
