Help catch these '2 atm bombers'

LIMPOPO police in Polokwane have appealed to the communities to assist in cracking down an ATM blast syndicate operating in the province.

They have also y released the Identikit photos of suspects involved in the syndicate.

Three men are being sought in connection with the bombing of an ATM in Apel in the Sekhukhune area in November last year, where they fled with an undisclosed amount of money.

Polokwane police spokesperson Captain Mohlaka Mashiane yesterday identified the men as Arnold Makgati Mabote, 32, Matthews Thobejane, 28, and a Ugandan national identified only as Pormka, aged 31.

He said the men were dangerous and heavily armed. Mashiane said they were wanted for various cases committed in different areas. He advised communities not to confront the men but to contact the nearest police.

"For fear of the safety of community members, anyone who has information about the whereabouts of the suspects is requested to contact the nearest police," Mashiane said.

According to Mashiane the men had committed similar crimes in various parts of the country, including North West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

"At the moment we are investigating to uncover the activities of the suspects and their way of operating and believe it will be with the assistance of the community that we will crack the cases against them," he said.

He said information from the public would be treated in confidence. Anyone with information leading to the arrest and subsequent conviction of the suspects is requested to contact Colonel Benny Nkuna on 082-565-8506 or 011-290-6469.

Meanwhile, three men yesterday appeared in the Madadeni magistrate's court charged with the possession of explosives.

Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane yesterday said the case against Bongani Madisha, 24, Siphiwe Ndlovu, 23, and Vincent Sithole, 22, had been postponed for further investigations.

The weekend arrest of the three, believed to be involved in a spate of ATM bombings, resulted from a a tip-off by members of the public.

They were arrested in at Madadeni section 7 township, Newcastle, northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Zwane said the men were arrested during a joint operation led by national crime intelligence, K9 Newcastle and the Durban flying squad.