Police arrest large number of suspects for planning a multi-million rand truck hijacking
Gauteng police have arrested 19 suspects in Johannesburg, in a foiled truck hijacking on Wednesday.
Provincial police spokesperson Mathapelo Peters says law enforcement officers – including the Highway Patrol (HP) received information of a planned armed robbery and hijacking of a truck carrying cell phones worth an estimated R60 million.
She adds this information led police to a house in Old Pretoria Road in Kelvin.
"It is reported that members of the HP were approaching when suspects started firing shots at them, to which the team retaliated and returned fire.
"Fourteen suspects, including two women, were arrested, while an unconfirmed number of suspects escaped by jumping the walls.
"Other members who were strategically positioned outside the house gave chase and five more suspects were cornered and arrested at five different scenes in close proximity to the initial crime scene," says Peters.
A security guard and one suspect were fatally shot.
No police officers were injured.
Peters adds that one of the suspects grabbed a baby to protect him.
"It was discovered during the on-site investigation that one suspect had snatched a seven-month-old baby to possibly use the child as a shield during the shootout. The child has since been found," adds Peters.
Police investigations are continuing to possibly also link the group to other crimes.
Listen to Peters below:
