Cops act pretty fast with arrest

Suspect held for stolen firearms

EASTERN Cape police believe they have made a breakthrough in their investigation into the robbery and theft of police-issued firearms at the Peddie police station.

This follows the arrest of a suspect found in possession of three firearms believed to be some of the 30 guns stolen on March 14 from the strongroom of the police station after thieves gained entry through the ceiling.

The firearms were recovered on Thursday at Fort Grey outside East London during an intelligence-driven police raid involving the East London K9 Unit, the Flying Squad and the Crime Intelligence Unit.

However, head of the Eastern Cape SAPS communications division Brigadier Marinda Mills said the investigation was still under way and that more arrests were imminent.

“The SAPS is making progress in following leads – taking people in for questioning and the recovery of stolen firearms in relation to the recent breakin at Peddie police station. The investigation is at a sensitive stage and leads are followed as far as the Western Cape.”

Mills said the 30-year-old suspect had been arrested for illegal possession of firearms after he was nabbed with an R5 rifle, a shotgun and a .303 rifle. A large number of ammunition and magazines were also seized.

Mills said the suspect was detained at the East London police station and will appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The firearms, including live rounds, were found stashed in the back of an old broken-down VW Golf, police sources said.

According to police insiders who were on the scene, the suspect implicated his friend as the owner of the guns.

Mills said the investigation into the missing police firearms was a top-priority investigation that involved top investigators from the national SAPS head office in Pretoria.

The station commander was hauled before a top team of investigators last week. She has since been transferred. — malibongwed@