Twenty people, including eight Ethiopians, were arrested after Johannesburg police foiled robberies at warehouses in Fordsburg and Sandton, recovering stolen goods valued at about R10-million.
Johannesburg police spokesperson Superintendent Chris Wilken said the men were arrested on Friday night and early Saturday morning after a police stake-out at the two warehouses.
”Police kept the warehouse [in Fordsburg] under observation from Friday at 10pm,” said Wilken.
”The suspects arrived in an eight ton truck and a car. Police waited until the truck was fully loaded with clothing value at between R5-million and R6-million before they moved in.”
As the truck pulled away, police surrounded it and arrested 17 people, four of them Ethiopian citizens, said Wilken.
”The total value of the clothing stored in that warehouse for distribution throughout the country is valued at between R6-million and R7-million,” he said.
The other four of the 21 men were arrested in Marlboro, Sandton.
”On Friday at about 10pm police followed up information about a burglary at a Warehouse in Sandton.
”Four suspects entered the warehouse through the roof. After a few minutes the police moved in and arrested all the suspects, also Ethiopian citizens,” said Wilken.
He said investigations revealed that the men could be linked to similar cases elsewhere in the city. — Sapa