Four suspects have been arrested and face charges of burglary and arson following an incident at a school in Leeudoringstad, near Wolmaransstad, in the North West.
The arrests followed a joint law enforcement operation that used technology and community intelligence to identify and track down the suspects.
According to North West police spokesperson Sergeant Morake, the incident came to light after emergency services were called to extinguish a fire at the school. During a preliminary investigation, police discovered that a separate school block, which had not been affected by the fire, had been broken into and burgled.
Police then activated a multidisciplinary team comprising the Tactical Response Team (TRT), Crime Intelligence, drone operators and the local Community Policing Forum (CPF).
During follow-up operations, police recovered some of the stolen property, including toiletries, allegedly in the possession of the suspects.
The four suspects, aged between 21 and 29, were taken into custody and are expected to appear before the Leeudoringstad Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 12 October 2026.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police pursuing additional leads and seeking to identify people who allegedly bought stolen goods from the suspects. Further arrests have not been ruled out.
North West Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Peter Adams praised the team involved in the operation and thanked community members for their assistance.
Adams also condemned crimes targeting schools, noting that burglary and arson affect educational institutions and the communities they serve.
