The man was wanted for a series of crimes in the Qwaqwa, Senekal, and Allanridge areas, Brigadier Motantshi Makhele said.

The team, comprising of the Phuthaditjhaba SAPS officers from crime intelligence, the crime combatting unit, and tactical response team, had been searching for the suspect who was one of several prisoners who escaped from the Harrismith Correctional Service Centre during 2010.

The suspect was arrested at Makgolokweng village outside Harrismith where he had been hiding. He faced various charges, including housebreaking, house robbery, rape, business robbery, farm attacks, and possession of an unlicensed firearm. The crimes were committed between 2007 and 2015.

He had been positively linked to all the cases through DNA and would face further charges, Makhele said.

Free State police commissioner Lt-Gen. Moeketsi Sempe commended the officers for their excellent work, which indicated that "one could run, but cannot hide from the eyes of dedicated community and police for justice to be served”.

African News Agency