The South African Police Service in Gauteng arrested more than 3000 suspects for various crimes over the weekend, recovering more than 50 firearms including pistols and automatic rifles.
With the strive intensifying to reduce the levels of trio crimes in the Province, intelligence driven operations conducted across the province as part of the safer festive season operations saw a number of vehicle hijackers thrown behind bars.
The operations included roadblocks, stop and search, tracing of wanted suspects, raiding of premises suspected to be harboring drug lords and raiding of illegal liquor outlets.
Of the arrested suspects, majority were arrested for driving while under the influence of liquor and possession of unlicensed firearms. This became the focus of the operations as most of the fatalities are as a result of unlicensed firearms as well as drinking and driving.
Police conducted various operations in Johannesburg and arrested more than 365 suspects. These suspects were arrested for crime ranging from possession of hijacked vehicles, possession of unlicensed firearms, drunk and driving, armed robbery and assault.
Swift response by the police led to the recovery of hijacked vehicles just few minutes after they were hijacked. A BMW was hijacked in Brixton on Saturday 18 November 2017, and recovered by police in Alexandra while the victim was still opening a case docket.
In a separate incident, Johannesburg police received information about the vehicle hijacked in Blue Hills Mall and went on a lookout. The hijacked vehicle was spotted in Marlborough and intercepted, the driver was arrested.
Two suspects were arrested in Parktown after they allegedly hijacked a minibus taxi and shot passengers. It is alleged that two men boarded a taxi in Soweto and thereafter they pointed the driver of a Quantum with firearm, demanding his car keys. The driver managed to jump out of the vehicle and ran away.
The suspects then shot three passengers before driving off with the Quantum. Police responded quickly to the information and the hijacked car was spotted in Parktown. The suspects shot at the police as they were stopping them, police shot back and one suspect was wounded and taken to hospital under police guard while the second suspect was detained. An unlicensed firearm was recovered.
More suspects were arrested in other parts of the province for offences ranging from murder, rape, robbery, assault, possession of unlicensed firearms, contravening of road traffic act, dealing in drugs, selling liquor without licence.
These intensified police operations will continue until the end of festive season. Police are aiming at ensuring that the community of Gauteng is and feel safe this festive season. The community members are urged to play their part by reporting suspicious persons, vehicles or circumstances to the police immediately by phoning crime stop number which is 08600 10111.
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