Police have arrested a man they believe could be linked to a spate of jewellery heists across the country.
The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (known as the Hawks) in Limpopo said the 25-year-old man was arrested in Gauteng and was en route to Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is allegedly linked to jewellery store robberies in Boksburg, Klerksdorp, Rustenburg, Kimberley and Gqeberha.
“These cries were committed between March and September 2023.”
Mogale said intelligence received was that the suspect could possibly be hiding in Gauteng, Pretoria or Mpumalanga.
“Through intelligence information received the suspect was identified and an observation by the law enforcement multi-disciplinary team was held and the suspect was arrested.”
He said the investigations was ongoing to nab his accomplices.
“The suspect will make his first appearance in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court charged with several counts of armed robbery.”
Last month, 10 people were arrested in connection with a brazen R1 million jewellery heist at a mall in Sherwood in Gqeberha.
Police said it is alleged that 10 suspects entered the jewellery store in a mall and pointed firearms at the staff.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said that through “brilliant” crime intelligence in the Eastern Cape, it was established that the suspects were heading for Gauteng.
The suspects were arrested and the jewellery recovered.
IOL News