Swift police action led to the arrest of four suspects, aged between 22 and 44, in a pre-dawn highway robbery on Tuesday, January 14, where truck parts worth R50,000 were stolen and crew members were locked in their vehicle on the R59 near Sasolburg, Free State.
The incident took place on the R59, where the Fezile Dabi District Highway Patrol had been conducting routine policing.
At approximately 4.23am, the police noticed a truck parked on the roadside. When they made a U-turn to approach the vehicle, they saw five suspects fleeing into the veld. The officers gave chase, apprehending one suspect on the spot.
"We managed to catch one suspect immediately after he fled into the veld," said police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani.
"His getaway vehicle was spotted later near Wonderfontein, where we arrested three more individuals."
The officers continued their search, eventually discovering four truck tyres and rims, valued at R50,000, hidden near the R57 and R59 intersections.
Rani said the truck driver and his crew were found locked inside the vehicle, and their cellphones had been stolen during the incident.
One suspect remains at large, and authorities continue their search.
The four arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Sasolburg Magistrate's Court soon.
IOL