A 36-year-old man has been arrested at KaNyamazane, outside Nelspruit, for the kidnapping and robbery of an American couple who were heading to the Kruger National Park.
The crime was committed on September 7, and the victims are a man aged 47 and a woman aged 39.
The law enforcement team which traced the alleged criminal consisted of units of the South African Police Service, working in conjunction with the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and private security.
“According to a report, on that dreadful Thursday (September 7) the two tourists were driving along the R536 Road in the Calcutta area when they were stopped by a Volkswagen Golf with a blue light,” according to Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
The American couple was then held at gunpoint by two armed suspects who kidnapped the two, and drove to a certain spot where the couple was robbed of their personal items.
The assailants then fled the scene with the stolen items.
The couple was later assisted to reach the Masoyi police station where a case was opened.
“The investigation immediately commenced with a hope to arrest those that were responsible. It was during the course of the investigation when valuable information, through technology, was provided by the FBI regarding the whereabouts of some of the reported stolen properties,” said Mdhluli.
An operation was then planned and executed, where the information provided by the FBI was investigated.
The law enforcement team was led to a house at KaNyamazane.
“Upon arrival at the premises, the team found the man in question. A search was then conducted and whilst searching, several items believed to have been stolen during the robbery were discovered,” said Mdhluli.
The items recovered during the raid included an iPhone, laptops, two iPads, an Apple smart wrist watch, two sets of binoculars, a 16-channels signal jammer, as well as a blue light.
Police also found a Volkswagen Polo which was reportedly fitted with false registration number plates.
“The man was arrested and charged for possession of suspected stolen properties and the police confiscated the recovered items for further investigation,” said Mdhluli.
The 36-year-old man has since appeared before the KaNyamazane Magistrate's Court.
The matter was postponed to Tuesday next week for further investigation, while the arrested man was remanded in custody.
“The investigation continues but due to the delicacy of this probe, his name cannot be revealed at this stage,” said Mdhluli.
Last year, police at Masoyi, in Mpumalanga launched a manhunt following an incident where German a tourist was shot and killed by a group of “ruthless criminals” along Numbi Road near White River.
“According to the report, at that time four tourists from Germany were travelling in a Hyundai H1 on Numbi Road en route to Numbi Gate at Mdluli Safari lodge. They were then stopped by three armed suspects who were driving in a Volkswagen Caddy,” Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said at the time.
“The suspects are said to have instructed the tourists to open the doors of their vehicle but when the driver reportedly locked all the doors, apparently one of the suspects shot him on the upper body through the window.”
After the driver was shot, the tourists’ vehicle, the Hyundai H1, drove in reverse for about 100 meters before crushing into the wall of an educational institution.
IOL