Security guards and cops crack angle grinder gang

FOUR men believed to be part of a gang who have broken into over 100 homes and businesses have been arrested.

Security experts and police hailed the arrest as a breakthrough into the syndicate who have been on a crime spree across Nelson Mandela Bay since January.

The gang used angle grinders to cut open safes.

Despite the four men being arrested in two separate incidents, less than 24 hours apart, they all used the same getaway car, a white Toyota Tazz.

In the latest incident, at 1am yesterday morning, CCTV footage revealed two of the men had broken into the Packaging Industries building in the Cowlin Centre.

The other two men were arrested on Saturday morning for being in possession of implements used for burglary.

Atlas Security operations head Monty Montgomery said when they arrived at Packing Industries, following the alarm activating, they spotted seven men running along the roof.

“The men had gained entry to the building and they managed to get into the office section. While they ransacked the offices they also attempted to angle grind one of the safes open,” he said.

“Due to the alarm activation the men abandoned their plan and fled empty handed. The angle grinder and three discs were left at the scene.”

At 1am a police vehicle spotted a Tazz driving nearby.

“There were four men inside the vehicle and they were all taken back to the scene. On viewing the CCTV footage two of them were seen inside the building,” Montgomery said.

“For months we have been tracking this syndicate. They have hit several homes and businesses in which they were mainly after the safes. In all the cases the men had entered through the roof and angle grinded the safe open. In some cases they also used sledge hammers to knock small safes out of the wall.”

Montgomery said he was aware of at least 100 homes and businesses, including jewellery stores, automotive spare warehouses and shopping centres that had all been targeted in the Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage area since January.

In one burglary, in April, the gang broke into the House of Biscuits factory which borders the Cowlin Centre.

Police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said in addition to the two arrested for the Packing Industries burglary, another two men were arrested in the same Tazz on Saturday morning for possession of burglary implements.

Janse van Rensburg said a team of detectives had been investigating the “angle grinder gang” for months.

“We are well aware of the gang and are now looking at linking these suspects to other burglaries where the safes have been ripped out or grinded open,” she said.

“Detectives are also following up leads to establish a link between both incidents.

“Our forensic teams have been roped in to assist with the case as in some instances a very substantial amount of money had been stolen.”

The men are due to appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court today and tomorrow.

Janse van Rensburg said more arrests were expected.

“The Tazz has also been impounded for DNA evidence to be gathered and for detectives to possibly link it to other crimes.”