FOUR suspects were arrested and their firearms were recovered last night (August 17) after they had allegedly planned to rob former Billabong South Africa chief executive Cheron Kraak’s house in Jeffreys Bay.

East London private investigator Christian Botha said he had followed a tip off about a planned robbery at Kraak’s house.

“We managed to corner the suspects while they were on their way to execute their plan and they were arrested on the spot,” said Botha.

“We met up with a source and were told the suspects had been asking whether Kraak had money kept on premises, if there were any security guards or dogs in the house and if our source could show them around when Kraak was away from home.

“We identified the suspects who wanted this information. Our undercover agent was utilised as a person related to the source.”

Botha said a meeting between the suspects and an agent was set up and everything was in place for the suspects to carry out the plan.

“We met up with the police for backup and sent our agent to have a meeting with the suspect in the township.”

A route was selected to show the suspects to the client’s house.

He said the suspects arrived in a white Toyota Quantum taxi but sped off when they were stopped (by police).

Police gave chase and the suspects were cornered.

Botha said four suspects were found in possession of weapons, including an R4 and R5 automatic rifles.

Police spokesman Gerda Swart said police managed to stop the vehicle about 100 metres away from the house and they arrested four men and confiscated illegal R4 and R5 rifles, Z88 pistol and a handgun.

All the firearms were loaded.

She said the four suspects were between 23 and 40 years old and would appear at the Humansdorp magistrate’s court on Thursday, for charges of attempted armed robbery and illegal possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Kraak said she only knew about the planned robbery at her house when she received a tip-off from a source sometime last week.

“I was scared at first but I did feel a lot safer when professional security personnel came to assist.

“I definitely need to beef up my house security system to be more protected.”