In a concerted effort to deal with incidents of crime head-on, the radical strategies through the joint operations by different Police Stations and Units in various Clusters continue to produce positive and meaningful results.
This became evident when two suspects aged around twenties were arrested few hours after they committed a business robbery in the Waterval policing area outside Makhado.
It is alleged that the suspect and his accomplice have robbed a local spaza shop and the customer’s money, airtimes, cartons of cigarettes and cellphones at Shirley Village before they fled the scene with a motor vehicle towards Hlanganani.
The police were notified and a motor vehicle chase ensued and during that process, the two off-duty police officers became aware of this incident and they also joined in chasing the suspects with their private motor vehicles.
The suspects were later spotted at Mahatlane village in the Hlanganani policing area outside Giyani and they started shooting at the police who retaliated until the suspects were arrested. No police officer was injured during the cross fire.
During this arrest, all the robbed items were recovered. The firearm and a knife which are believed to be the once used during the robbery were also recovered.
The motor vehicle used by the suspects was also confiscated. The preliminary police investigations have revealed that the motor vehicle was reported stolen in the Ritavi policing area outside Tzaneen a week ago.
Meanwhile, the tactical intelligence led joint operation composed of the Seshego Cluster Task Team, Seshego Crime Intelligent and SAPS Matlala Crime Prevention was conducted in the Matlala policing area outside Polokwane focusing on the suspects involved on incidents of stock theft in and around the Seshego Cluster.
During this operation, five suspects aged between 27 and 45 were arrested for possession of suspected stolen stock and stock theft.
Nine live sheep and two carcasses of sheep were recovered during the arrest. The Nissan Hardbody double cab which was used to transport these stock was also confiscated.
The suspects may be linked to more cases of stock theft in the Seshego and Polokwane Clusters including in other Clusters.
The arrested suspects will appear before the Hlanganani, Waterval and Matlala Magistrates’ Courts respectively, soon.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended these teams of SAPS members from the Waterval, Hlanganani and Seshego Cluster for the outstanding performance in making this milestone achievements.
This is a clear warning to all the criminals out there that Limpopo cannot be turned into their playground. Those who are still continuing with their heinous act, they will meet the full might of the law, concluded General Ledwaba.
Source: South African Police Service