PARKTOWN – Tactical intelligence driven operations comprising of South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies has this past weekend led to the arrest of more than 870 suspects in Gauteng. Operations were conducted in the districts of Johannesburg, West Rand, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Sedibeng.
A total of 135 arrests were effected in Johannesburg for crime ranging from armed robbery, house breaking and theft, reckless and negligent driving. On Saturday at approximately 07h00, the Soweto Intelligence and Trio Task team responded to information about the whereabouts of most wanted suspects. Police proceeded to the suspects’ hiding place in Freedom Square Informal Settlement Kliptown and arrested two suspects aged 29 and 50. Among the crimes they were sought for, is the recent murder of a 26-year-old man in Kliptown.
Meanwhile, Police in the West Rand secured a total of 95 arrests after conducting different operations and investigations. Among the suspects arrested is a 27-year-old male suspect that was arrested for armed robbery in Khutsong on Saturday. Two suspects robbed a complainant and his friend of an undisclosed amount of cash at gunpoint. Police are still searching for the second suspect. Other crimes that landed the suspects behind bars in this district are detained for house robbery, driving while under the influence of alcohol, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, possession of stolen property, possession of gold bearing materials, possession of dagga, possession of drugs and possession of dangerous weapon.
Tshwane men and women in blue managed to arrest 128 suspects during crime prevention operations and raiding of wanted suspects. During the operations, police arrested more than fourteen illegal immigrants along the R101 road; and closed several illegal liquor outlets. Other suspects were arrested for rape, malicious damage to property, drunken driving, theft, possessions of dagga, sexual assault, common robbery, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, violation of court order, murder, stock theft, pointing of firearm, house breaking and theft.
Still in Tshwane, police’s thorough investigation led to the conviction and sentencing of a 37-year-old man. He appeared at Moretele Magistrate’s Court on Friday facing charges of rape and armed robbery. He was sentenced to ten years on two counts of rape and fifteen years for armed robbery.
Police in Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng arrested 328 suspects after conducting operations that include road blocks as well as stop and searches. These arrests include that of a 23-year-old man who is expected to appear at Tembisa Magistrate’s Court facing charges of rape. It is alleged that the suspect and his accomplice raped a 15-year-old girl in Tembisa. Soon after the matter was reported to the police, all role players were activated and the suspects were hunted down. One suspect was arrested within 48-hours and police are still searching for the suspect that is still at large. More suspects were arrested for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of drugs, dealing in drugs, driving while under the influence of alcohol, rape, theft, kidnapping, robbery and pointing of a firearm.
Furthermore, police continued with their mission of cleaning the cities of Gauteng from counterfeit goods. A raid was conducted in one of the buildings in Johannesburg CBD and police, together with other law enforcement agencies, confiscated counterfeit goods to the value of R42 million. Equipment used to illegally brand clothes, bags and tekkies were seized. This is an ongoing operation aimed at recovering all counterfeit goods that are in circulation in the province.
Arrested suspects will appear in different Magistrate’s Courts from Monday.
