Polokwane. Members of the South African Police Service in Limpopo have arrested five suspects aged between 28 and 47 after recovering firearms, ammunition, suspected stolen cellphones and two vehicles during an operation in the Tubatse policing area, SAPS reported.
How the arrests unfolded
Detectives said they received information that two vehicles were allegedly being used by suspects planning to commit a robbery at a business establishment on Tuesday evening at about 19:00. Officers traced the vehicles to a liquor outlet in the Tubatse area and found a white Volkswagen Polo and a maroon Mazda CX‑3, with five occupants between them.
Following a search of the vehicles, police recovered several items that are now being held as exhibits. The occupants were arrested and detained at Tubatse Police Station, and face charges that include possession of unlicensed firearms and possession of suspected stolen property, according to SAPS.
“The recovery of the firearms is significant as illegal firearms continue to fuel serious and violent crime,”
SAPS attributed the significance of the finds to Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo.
Items recovered
Police documented the following items seized during the operation; these have been taken for forensic examination and further investigation:
- Three firearms (two pistols recovered from the vehicles and a shotgun handed over at a suspect’s home)
- Ammunition: one pistol loaded with seven live rounds; the other pistol loaded with 14 live rounds plus an additional empty magazine; and four empty cartridges associated with the shotgun
- Seven suspected stolen cellphones
- Two vehicles — a white Volkswagen Polo and a maroon Mazda CX‑3 — seized for further investigation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Firearms | Two pistols (one with 7 rounds, one with 14 rounds + empty magazine); one shotgun (no serial number) |
| Phones | 7 suspected stolen cellphones |
| Vehicles | White Volkswagen Polo; maroon Mazda CX‑3 — both impounded |
| Suspects | Five persons, aged between 28 and 47, detained at Tubatse Police Station |
Link to earlier robbery
During follow‑up enquiries, police linked one 28‑year‑old suspect to an armed robbery reported in Tubatse in August 2026. When detectives went to the suspect’s home he handed over a shotgun without a serial number and four empty cartridges, SAPS said. The firearm is believed to be associated with the earlier incident and has been taken for ballistics testing.
What this means for local communities
Police have highlighted the broader concern that illegal firearms continue to feed violent crime across the province. The recovery of weapons and suspected stolen property is an outcome the province’s police leadership described as important for disrupting planned criminal activity.
Residents are reminded to report suspicious behaviour or information about illegal firearms and stolen property to their nearest police station. Cases arising from the operation have been opened and investigations are continuing under the oversight of the Tubatse policing team.
Those with information relevant to the incidents may contact the Tubatse Police Station. SAPS said the two vehicles and recovered items remain with investigators as forensic and tracing processes proceed.
This arrest operation forms part of broader efforts by Limpopo police to reduce the availability of illegal firearms and to hold accountable those who traffic in stolen goods and commit armed robberies.
Further updates will be provided by SAPS as charges are finalised and the matter progresses through the criminal justice process.
