Gauteng police have arrested four men who allegedly hijacked an ambulance and kidnapped three teenage boys at an orphanage in Bronkhorstfontein, south of Johannesburg, on Wednesday last week.
The four, aged between 26 and 36, were nabbed early yesterday inside a shack in Jackson squatter camp, about 2km from the The Love of Christ Children's Home orphanage.
The orphanage has been robbed five times this year, according to its founder and director Thea Jarvis.
In one of the robberies two weeks ago, R17000 which was meant to buy a water pump was taken by two armed robbers.
Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele said soon after the orphanage was robbed for the second time on Wednesday, the cops launched a manhunt.
"A team of investigators worked around the clock looking for the suspects. Information was received about their whereabouts and was properly followed. The information led police to a shack in Jackson squatter camp.
"Police pounced [at] the place at about 5am and found four men who were armed with two loaded unlicensed firearms."
Makhubele said inside the shack police found a uniform, a driver's licence and a number of cellphones, some of which belonged to the Kibler Park paramedics.
One of the loaded pistols was stolen during a house robbery in nearby Eikenhof on November 7.
The owner of the house was attacked and assaulted by the robbers during the robbery, he said.
"Two other suspects are still at large and we are working hard to arrest them," he said.
It is alleged that last Wednesday at about 8pm, a man called the Kibler Park fire station claiming that there was a woman at the squatter camp who was in labour.
As the ambulance arrived, the crew was lured to the shack where two paramedics were robbed and thrown into the back of the vehicle. The vehicle then headed to the orphanage, where two security guards were also thrown into the back of the ambulance.
The vehicle then entered the premises, where three teenage boys were kidnapped.
The victims, who were taken to a veld, were freed by police after a gun battle.
Makhubele said the suspects would appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court soon.
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
Arrests for orphanage robbery, kidnappings
Gauteng police have arrested four men who allegedly hijacked an ambulance and kidnapped three teenage boys at an orphanage in Bronkhorstfontein, south of Johannesburg, on Wednesday last week.
The four, aged between 26 and 36, were nabbed early yesterday inside a shack in Jackson squatter camp, about 2km from the The Love of Christ Children's Home orphanage.
The orphanage has been robbed five times this year, according to its founder and director Thea Jarvis.
In one of the robberies two weeks ago, R17000 which was meant to buy a water pump was taken by two armed robbers.
Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele said soon after the orphanage was robbed for the second time on Wednesday, the cops launched a manhunt.
"A team of investigators worked around the clock looking for the suspects. Information was received about their whereabouts and was properly followed. The information led police to a shack in Jackson squatter camp.
"Police pounced [at] the place at about 5am and found four men who were armed with two loaded unlicensed firearms."
Makhubele said inside the shack police found a uniform, a driver's licence and a number of cellphones, some of which belonged to the Kibler Park paramedics.
One of the loaded pistols was stolen during a house robbery in nearby Eikenhof on November 7.
The owner of the house was attacked and assaulted by the robbers during the robbery, he said.
"Two other suspects are still at large and we are working hard to arrest them," he said.
It is alleged that last Wednesday at about 8pm, a man called the Kibler Park fire station claiming that there was a woman at the squatter camp who was in labour.
As the ambulance arrived, the crew was lured to the shack where two paramedics were robbed and thrown into the back of the vehicle. The vehicle then headed to the orphanage, where two security guards were also thrown into the back of the ambulance.
The vehicle then entered the premises, where three teenage boys were kidnapped.
The victims, who were taken to a veld, were freed by police after a gun battle.
Makhubele said the suspects would appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court soon.
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
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