North West police spokeswoman Adele Myburgh said they were arrested in the parking area of a club in the Potchefstroom industrial area in the early hours of Friday morning.

"These arrests came after information was received from a member of the community who thought the demeanour of the suspects were suspicious," she said.

Police reacted swiftly and found the suspects sleeping in a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi at about 2am. The vehicle was searched and three 9mm pistols and 39 rounds of ammunition, and balaclavas were found hidden in a false compartment in the vehicle. Police also seized various tools and gloves, Myburgh said.

In an unrelated incident, three people were due to appear in the Lichtenburg Magistrates' Court for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition on Monday, spokesman Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said.

They were also arrested on Friday after police received information that they were conspiring to commit a house robbery at a farm in Coligny.

"It is alleged that a car chase ensued after the suspects' vehicle was spotted on the Biesiesvlei road. As a result, three suspects were ultimately cornered and searched, together with their vehicle.

"Although nothing was found, the suspects consequently took the police to a place in Blydeville, outside Lichtenburg, where three hunting rifles, one pistol, one pistol magazine, and 44 [rounds of] ammunition were discovered inside a shack."

A fourth person, aged 18, was arrested on the premises for illegal possession of ammunition after 53 rounds were found hidden in a hole beneath his bed.

"Preliminary investigation into the matter revealed that the firearms were reportedly stolen during a house robbery in July this year at a farm in Bospoort," Mokgwabone said.

ANA