By Maile Matsimela
Limpopo farmers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that at least two livestock thieves are off the streets. This after the police in Tubatse, Sekhukhune District, Limpopo, arrested two men, aged 25 and 26, on charges of armed robbery and possession of suspected stolen livestock.
The arrests took place in the early hours of Saturday, 8 March, after officers swiftly responded to a robbery report in Makwataseng Village, Tubatse, according to police spokesperson Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe. The complainant told police that six armed suspects had entered the area where he kept his cattle and stolen four animals at gunpoint.
Acting on the report, officers intercepted the suspects’ vehicle – a bakkie with a trailer – at Riba Cross, leading to the arrest of the two men. During the operation, police recovered the four stolen cattle, the vehicle and trailer used in the crime, and a licensed firearm belonging to one of the suspects, allegedly used during the robbery.
The SAPS Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit has taken over the case, with further arrests expected as the investigation continues.
The two suspects are scheduled to appear before the Praktiseer (Ga-Marotha) Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 10 March, on charges of stock theft, armed robbery, and possession of suspected stolen livestock. The authorities are also investigating whether the recovered firearm has been linked to other crimes.
“The swift response by our officers in apprehending the suspects and recovering the livestock demonstrates our commitment to combating stock theft and violent crime in the province,” Lieutenant General Hadebe says. “The recovery of the stolen cattle and the confiscation of the firearm send a strong message to would-be armed robbers: The long arm of the law will reach you.”
