SHAUN SMILLIE
TWO DOWN, eight to go. Detectives yesterday arrested two men who they believe are members of a gang responsible for the death of an SAPS reservist constable and for blowing up numerous ATMs across the country.
The detectives, who arrested the two 35-year-old men, told SAPS provincial spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila that they applauded the community for the tip-offs that helped them track down the alleged robbers.
The men were arrested in Joburg yesterday and were due to appear in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court today. They are facing a charge of murder, theft, malicious damage to property and illegal possession of explosives.
The men have been linked to a gang that blew up ATMs in Vryheid, Soweto and Katlehong during the past four months.
Reservist Constable Busisiwe Mehlwana was allegedly gunned down by the gang while responding to the sounds of the explosion at a Total garage in Soweto two weeks ago.
Detectives are investigating the possibility that the gang could be linked to other ATM bombings around the country.
“Investigations are at a sensitive stage and ongoing,” Malila said.
Last week, pictures of the gang, snapped by CCTV cameras, were published in The Star as part of an initiative with Crime Line.
Yesterday, The Star ran photographs from CCTV footage of four men who were allegedly involved in an ATM bombing in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday.
Malila said a number of tip-offs were received through Crime Line and Crime Stop after the photographs appeared.
“We had people tweeting, saying ‘I have seen this one or that one’,” said Malila.
A team of detectives then worked around the clock, following up on every tip-off.
None of the men whose pictures appeared in The Star had been arrested, he said.
During the Pimville (Soweto) and Vryheid robberies, the men fled in what appeared to be a white Isuzu bakkie.
Their modus operandi was similar. CCTV footage showed them using a crowbar to open the ATM, then connecting wires to the machine and to a battery on the floor.
CCTV footage of the ATM bombing in Pimville indicated that one of the men had a limp.
There is a reward of R150 000 on offer.
The men in the Pimville and Vryheid bombings were heavily armed with submachineguns, rifles and handguns.
The SAPS and Crime Line thanked the public for the information that led to the arrests.
“We are delighted and want to give special credit to the Independent (Newspapers) group for running the pictures. More importantly, we congratulate the police and the public,” said Crime Line head Yusuf Abramjee.
He said the public response showed the important role community tip-offs had in the fight against crime.
Abramjee called on the public to continue passing on information about the gang’s whereabouts. He urged the public to go to www.crimeline.co.za, Crime Line’s Facebook page or YouTube to watch CCTV footage of the men.