THREE members of a suspected ATM and robbery syndicate, including a SA Air Force member, were arrested in Gauteng by the organised crime investigation unit.

The arrest is a sequel to an incident in which a wholesalers in Polokwane was broken into and jewellery, a pistol, R140,000 worth of Kruger Rands and 2010 World Cup gold coins worth about R150000 were stolen.

A suspect was arrested at Moreleta Park in Pretoria, while the other two were arrested in Kempton Park.

Yesterday Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Motlafela Mojapelo said: "One of the suspects is a member of the South African Air Force, who is based at 516 Squadron in Pretoria, while another is a woman.

"A fourth suspect, Sampson Malapane Mokgalaka, who is the husband of one of arrested suspects, fled before he could be captured.

"Mokgalaka was out on bail after appealing against his life sentence for the murder of pharmacist Andrew Tladi, who was attached to the department of health in Limpopo."

Mojapelo said Mokgalaka was hired by the wife of the late Tladi to kill her husband in 2007.

Some of the items seized during the arrest were a BMW vehicle, a grinder, gloves, balaclavas, cables, reflector jackets, alarms, boxes, screw drivers, two R5 rifles, blue police lights, a Norinco pistol, ammunition, handcuffs and a police tracker unit, Mojapelo said.

He said one of the R5 rifles was reported stolen from the Waterkloof army base in Pretoria in December.

Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Amon Mashigo commended members attached to crime intelligence and the Polokwane detective service for their sterling work in arresting the suspects .