Four arrested after shoot out with cops

MOKOPANE - Four heavily armed suspects were arrested after a police constable wounded in the left leg in a shoot out in Giliad on 17 January. Two AK47-rifles, three pistols and several rounds of ammunition were confiscated after a man hunt that had police chasing the suspects through Giliad, Mahwelereng and Masodi in the early ours of Tuesday morning.

Three police members, a sergeant and two constables, were patrolling the Giliad area at about 00:30 when they came across four vehicles standing next to the road. When they approached the vehicles, the suspects suddenly opened fire on the policemen, who responded and immediately called for assistance. One constable was shot in the leg. The suspects sped away in three vehicles, including a white Mercedes Benz and silver VW Polo leaving behind a black VW Polo that was later reported as stolen.

A man hunt was launched for the suspects and while police were searching for the three vehicles they received a tip-off that the men were in Mahwelereng. Two suspects were arrested at around 02:00 in Mahwelereng and the police found another vehicle, a VW Polo, on the N11 next to Masodi where two more suspects were arrested.

Three R5 rounds, eight pistol rounds, 31 R5 cartridges, 3 pistols, two AK47 rifles were found in the vehicles along with eight cell phones.

The suspects come from Benoni in Gauteng and are aged 34, 36, 44 and 46. They will appear in court today (19 January).

"These police members were very brave," says Mahwelereng police spokesperson Const Sello Leso. "The public must realise that the police in Mahwelereng are really prepared to lay down their lives to take these criminals down and that takes a lot of bravery."
He added that the wounded constable was taken to hospital in Polokwane and is recuperating well.

"It is suspected that there are more suspects still at large and we will continue our investigations to stop these criminals in their tracks," he said. Any one with information can call him direct on cell: 071 678 2209.