A Winchester rifle with 47 rounds of live ammunition and a pistol, stolen from a farm in Wesselsbron, were recovered by the police following a shooting at the same farm a month later.
The shooting incident happened on Thursday (23/02), and the Welkom K9 unit, Welkom Flying Squad, Crime Intelligence, SAPS Airwing, SAPS Anti-Gang unit, and police members of Wesselsbron were activated to investigate the incident.
Farmers from Wesselsbron and Bothaville, with a private helicopter and drone, joined the search for the shooters.
Four suspects, aged between 23 and 26 years, were arrested.
The rifle and ammunition were found hidden in a house in Monyakeng, Wesselsbron, and a toy gun was found and seized at a separate house.
Two more suspects, who have a pistol in their possession, are still on the run. The manhunt continues.
“The suspects are facing charges of house breaking and theft, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition,” says Capt. Stephen Thakeng, media liaison officer for the Lejweleputswa police.
The acting district commissioner of Lejweleputswa, Brig. Mzondi Mojafi, applauded the joint operation with farmers where a private helicopter and a drone were also used.
“This led to the arrests and seizure of the stolen rifle and pistol from the same farm they were stolen from in January 2023. This joint venture proves that together we can do more to eradicate crime in the farming community and towns,” said Brig. Mojafi.
