Two held for attacking North West farmer, worker with wheel spanner

North West police arrested two men just 6km away from where they allegedly attacked a farm owner and his worker with a wheel spanner.

On Sunday about 2pm, the two suspects, aged 19 and 26, confronted a 92-year-old farm owner and demanded money and firearms. The farm is on the border of Wolmaransstad and Schweizer-Reneke.

The police's Capt Sam Tselanyane said the owner of the farm was tied up while the house was ransacked. The farm worker was able to untie himself and ran to a neighbouring farm to seek help.

“A lookout signal was sent to all farmers in the area and both suspects were traced and caught about 6km from the crime scene, near Glaudina, in the area of Schweizer-Reneke.

“The suspects had a shotgun, meat, a cellphone, luggage and an undisclosed amount of cash, believed to have been taken during the house robbery on the farm,” Tselanyane said.

They were allegedly in the vicinity of the farm since early in the morning, pretending to be asking for water.

Tselanyane said the pair would be charged with house robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of suspected stolen property. They are expected to appear in the Wolmaransstad magistrate's court on Tuesday.

North West SAPS commissioner Lt-Gen Sello Kwena lauded members of the Farm Watch for their vigilance and determination in helping the police to fight crime in the farming community. He urged members of the community to continue reporting illegal activities and said police would not hesitate to act to ensure perpetrators were brought to book.