Consistent efforts by police to reduce the levels of trio crimes (house and business robberies and hijackings) again paid dividends on Saturday when officers foiled a planned business robbery targetting a shopping complex in the Midrand area in Johannesburg, Gauteng police said.
Four alleged robbers, including a former police officer, were arrested and three illegal firearms were seized, Captain Kay Makhubele said on Sunday.
“This was just one of many intelligence-driven operations by the South African Police Service [SAPS], complemented by roadblocks, stop-and-search operations, raiding of illegal liquor outlets, and tracking of wanted suspects, as well as heightened police visibility at hot spots, including shopping malls,” Makhubele said.
An estimated total of over 1000 suspects were arrested over the weekend as a result of these safer festive season operations.
Suspects were arrested in Johannesburg for various offences ranging from armed robbery to attempted murder, possession of drugs, assault, drunk driving, business robbery, and possession of hijacked vehicles.
More than 300 suspects were arrested in Ekurhuleni for crimes ranging from rape to housebreaking, possession of suspected stolen goods and hijacked vehicles, possession of drugs, driving under the influence of alcohol, and assault, Makhubele said.
