Tip-off leads to arrest of seven suspects in Mitchells Plain

A tip-off about a hijacked vehicle led to the arrest of seven suspects at a business premises in Mitchells Plain near Cape Town on Friday night.

Members of the Flying Squad also recovered the hijacked vehicle and seized an unlicensed firearm – a .38 special‚ with five rounds of ammunition, 168 mandrax tablets and stencils used to change vehicle identification credentials.

“Seven suspects‚ five males and two females aged between 19 and 40‚ were arrested and are due to make a court appearance in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday to face the charges against them‚” said Western Cape police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andrè Traut.

He said members of the Flying Squad were also responsible for the arrest of two suspects on Friday afternoon after searching the Athlone area for a black VW Polo which had been spotted at several armed robberies in the Peninsula.

“The vehicle in question was found at a mall in Athlone and the two male occupants aged 32 and 34 were arrested in possession of a 9mm firearm without a serial number and 17 rounds of ammunition‚ as well as four grams of cocaine.

“They are both wanted for an armed robbery perpetrated in Milnerton during July 2018. The suspects are due to make a court appearance in Athlone on Tuesday.”