Johannesburg – The South African Police Service has arrested a 64-year-old man allegedly linked to 42 criminal cases following an armed robbery involving three senior police officials from another African country near OR Tambo International Airport.
According to police, the incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon when the foreign officers were travelling in an e-hailing vehicle en route to the airport. Their vehicle was reportedly forced to pull over on the R24 by four men travelling in a silver Suzuki Swift.
Authorities say the suspects posed as police officers before robbing the victims of money, watches and cellular phones. The targeted location, near the Barbara Road off-ramp towards OR Tambo International Airport, has been identified by investigators as a hotspot linked to multiple similar crimes.
Within hours of the robbery, police traced and arrested one suspect believed to be a serial offender. The silver Suzuki Swift allegedly used in the crime has been impounded as part of the investigation.
SAPS confirmed that during the probe, investigators linked the suspect to 42 other cases involving armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm, fraud and impersonating a police officer. These cases reportedly date back to 1998. Police clarified that the suspect had previously been arrested and charged in those matters.
Law enforcement officials believe the arrest may significantly disrupt a syndicate operating along the airport corridor. The R24 route connecting Johannesburg to OR Tambo has in recent years been the subject of heightened security monitoring due to targeted crimes involving travellers.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Police are continuing the search for three additional suspects believed to have participated in the robbery.
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