Gauteng police arrested more than 1700 suspects over the long weekend and recovered 65 unlicensed firearms.
GAUTENG POLICE TACKLE CRIME IN ALL REGIONS
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, the suspects were arrested during operations and routine police stops and searches in various parts of the province.
“The perpetrators were found to have committed serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, car hijacking, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, rape, fraud, and theft. Diligent and intelligent police observation during routine patrols led to the discovery of most firearms. Police believe these are the firearms that are used during the commission of serious and violent crimes in the province.”
Lieutenant Colonel Masondo
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LARGE POOL OF SUSPECTS NABBED IN THE JOHANNESBURG DISTRICT
He added that four hundred and fifty-three (453) arrests were effected in Johannesburg District for offences ranging from malicious damage to property, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of drugs, housebreaking, theft, drunk and driving, possession of stolen and hijacked vehicle, selling liquor without a license and dealing in drugs.
He further said police in the Tshwane District arrested four hundred and fifty suspects.
“In their quest to fight lawlessness in Tshwane, the police executed multiple crime prevention operations within Pretoria and its boundaries. On Friday evening the integrated forces of Operation O Kae Molao flooded the streets of both Atteridgeville and Pretoria West. Their presence was quickly felt as they closed down nine illegal liquor outlets for operating without licenses or permits. Thirty-three undocumented immigrants were arrested for being in the country illegally. Eight suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, one suspect was arrested for car hijacking. Two more suspects were arrested for tampering with essential infrastructure in Atterdgeville after they were caught red-handed doing illegal electricity connections with suspected stolen cables,” he explained.
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“Four hundred and three (403) suspects were nabbed for crimes in Ekurhuleni District. Amongst the suspects arrested are two males aged 49 and 33 believed to be masterminds behind car hijackings in Ekurhuleni North and Daveyton areas. The suspects were nabbed in Tembisa and Clayville in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, 30 April 2023, by members of Ekurhuleni District Crime Intelligence, Trio Task Team, and Tactical Response Team. The suspects were linked to one of the car hijacking and murder cases that occurred in Norkempark on Wednesday 26 April 2023 whereby the victim (CPF patroller) was hijacked of his motor vehicle and killed. The suspects were found in possession of a blue light, flash machine, Mercedes Benz key, Ford key, Unknown make car key, and EMPD warden rank structure. The vehicle used by the suspects during the commission of the crime was also found in the suspect’s yard and seized,” Masondo further explained.
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He said continuous efforts by the South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies in the West Rand District had left more than one hundred and fifty-nine (159) suspects behind bars during the past long weekend.
In Sedibeng, Masondo revealed that two hundred and sixteen (216) suspects were placed behind bars for various crimes.
“Police management in the Province has noted with appreciation the involvement of the community in the fight against crime as most of the suspects were arrested through tip-offs and information received from the members of the public,” he said.
The arrested suspects will appear in various Magistrate Courts in due course.
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