GAUTENG — The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Sunrise has arrested three suspects—two females and one male—for the alleged unlawful possession of suspected gold-bearing material. The arrests occurred after the trio arrived at the local police station to report an unrelated cellphone theft.
The incident unfolded on Friday, 03 July 2026, at approximately 19:20 at Sunrise Police Station. According to a SAPS spokesperson, the three individuals initially came to the station to report a cellphone theft that had stemmed from a dispute over an agreement between the involved parties.
During the processing of the report and the exchange of items at the station, police officers inspected a black spectacle bag belonging to the suspects. The bag contained stones that officers suspected to be gold-bearing material.
To verify the findings, a Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) official was consulted. After reviewing photographs and video footage of the stones, the official confirmed that the material appeared to be gold-bearing.
Consequently, the three suspects were arrested for contravening the Precious Metals Act, 2005 (Act 37 of 2005). They remain in police custody as the investigation into the matter continues.
Addressing the broader context of the arrests, a SAPS spokesperson reiterated the police service’s ongoing commitment to combating illegal mining-related offences, as well as the unlawful possession and trafficking of precious metals.