Suspect linked to police station theft

TWO suspects appeared in the Peddie Magistrate’s Court yesterday after one was linked to a burglary at an Eastern Cape police station.

The suspect had been arrested on an unrelated charge.

Provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Yolisa Mgolodela, said officers attached to the East London Hawks’ Crime Against the State team, with the King William’s Town dog unit, the Flying Squad, and members of the SAPS attached to the Tyhefu Community Service Centre, swiftly responded to reports about a random shooter in the Ndlambe administration area on Monday.

She said when they arrived, the suspect shot at them as he tried to evade arrest. He ran towards bushes, where he was arrested and a 9mm pistol with three rounds of ammunition was confiscated.

“Further investigation led the joint team to the residence belonging to the suspect’s cousin, where four 9mm magazines with live ammunition were recovered in the kraal, and a pistol found in his room.

“Two magazines and a computer monitor were reportedly discovered hidden in the toilet. The team also uncovered two computer central processing units hidden in the bushes near the police station,” Mgolodela said.

She said the computer equipment, firearms and ammunition were stolen from the Tyhefu police station during a break-in last week.

Mgolodela said two suspects aged 22 and 25 were arrested on charges including attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition and possession of suspected stolen property. |