Temba residents hand over theft suspect, 100m of netting and a gun
A 20-year-old man faces charges of theft, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of suspected stolen property after the community caught him and called the police.
Residents in the Moruleng Block, Mashimong Section at Suurman caught a man they accuse of stealing agricultural netting and handed him to police along with the netting and a firearm, the South African Police Service said in a statement from the Gauteng provincial commissioner’s office.
The man, who is 20, was arrested on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, and taken to Temba SAPS for further detention. He faces charges of theft, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of suspected stolen property.
According to the statement, officers responded to information and found on arrival that the community had already apprehended the suspect. He was handed over together with approximately 100 metres of agricultural netting and a firearm with a magazine. The firearm had no ammunition in it.
The firearm will go for ballistic testing to establish whether it may be linked to other criminal cases. The investigation continues.
Major-General Samuel Thine commended the community for its vigilance and cooperation with the police, and encouraged residents to keep sharing information about criminal activity in their areas.
The account is drawn from the SAPS media statement, which summarises the incident rather than setting out the full case record. The charges have not been tested in court.
Enquiries: Captain Johan van Dyk, 079 694 6928.
Source: South African Police Service (SAPS), https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=71998
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