'Police gang' arrested for housebreaking

Four men, including a police officer, were arrested as they allegedly tried to rob a house in Jeppe, Johannesburg police said

They were caught when they arrived at the house belonging to a businessman on Macdonald Street, after police were tipped off on Wednesday morning, Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini said.

The men were found in possession of several items of police equipment and uniforms.

A crime scene jacket, handcuffs, a fraudulent police identity certificate, handcuffs, a service pistol, a shocking stick with police identification marks, and nine cellphones were among the items seized.

Three vehicles were impounded.

One of the men was a policeman based at the Johannesburg Central police station.

They were expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of conspiracy to commit house robbery and impersonating police.

Investigations were continuing to establish if they could be linked to other crimes.