Suspects Nabbed in Gauteng With Military Weapons, Two R4 Rifles Believed Stolen From SANDF Base
- Police and the South African National Defence Force made a breakthrough regarding a theft at a military base
- Three R4 rifles and a grenade launcher were previously stolen from a storeroom at the Lyttelton Military Base
- The base in Pretoria is no stranger to thefts, as 8 R4 rifles and three 9mm pistols were stolen from the base in 2019
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG – Two suspects face a host of charges after they were found in possession of stolen military firearms.
The suspects, who cannot be named until they appear in court, were arrested in the Mooiplaas informal settlement, which is in Erasmia, Centurion, on Saturday, 6 June 2026.
They were found with two R4 rifles with ammunition, a replica firearm, and a traffic officer's uniform. The firearms were believed to have been stolen during a burglary at a military facility in April 2026.
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Joint operation leads to arrests
The suspects, who will appear before a Gauteng court soon, were arrested thanks to a joint operation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Police action on information regarding the firearms led to the suspects being traced to the informal settlement, where they were found with the weapons.
They will now face charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of government property, and contravention of immigration legislation.
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Weapons stolen from Pretoria military base
The recovered firearms are allegedly those stolen from a storeroom at the Tak Base in the Lyttelton Military Base in Pretoria. The theft was reported in April 2026, after a member returning from a funeral realised that the storeroom had been targeted. According to reports, three R4 rifles and a grenade launcher were stolen.
It was not the first time that the base was targeted by criminals. In 2019, 18 R4 rifles and three 9mm pistols were stolen from the base, in what was believed to be an inside job. A total of 27 SANDF Engineering Formation members were questioned, and 11 were initially charged for housebreaking and theft, alternatively, negligent loss of firearms.
After intensive investigations, in which cellphones were confiscated and CCTV footage was analysed, a defence force member confessed to the theft. An accomplice also admitted involvement.
SANDF captain arrested for CIT heist
Previously, Briefly News reported that a 36-year-old South African National Defence Force captain made an appearance in the Outdshoorn Magistrate's Court in 2021.
The SANDF member faced charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances after he was found to have been part of a cash-in-transit heist.
The heist occurred at a petrol station in Outdshoorn, Western Cape. Police explained that the captain is the fourth suspect apprehended in the matter.
Over a thousand State firearms stolen yearly
Briefly News also reported that approximately 1,800 firearms belonging to state entities are lost or stolen every year.
According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, these guns end up in the hands of criminals.
The organisation said that the SANDF and other state entities were supposed to report firearm losses and thefts, but don't.
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Source: Briefly News
