North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety & Liaison, Desbo Mohono says the arrest of 18 criminals for violent crimes and recovery of stolen property valued at over R3,5 million is part of an onslaught against crime that is to be sustained so that communities should feel safer. The criminals some of whomwere on the police’s wanted suspects list were arrested around Hartbeespoort Dam in the North West province on Thursday.
MEC Mohono comments the Crime Intelligence and Detectives divisions of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the major success that follows months of planning and gathering of critical evidence. Charges against the suspects arrested around Madibeng Local Municipalityin an intelligence driven operation range from armed robbery, hijacking, dealing with possession of explosivesand possession of and dealing with stolen goods.
The alleged crimes were committed in the Brits, Assen, Hartbeespoortdam and Akasia areas. Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General William Mpembe, expects that more charges might be added to the initial charges after police have taken fingerprints assome of the suspects were currently out on bail and are repeating offenders.
Mohono called upon communities to contribute towards their safety by reporting suspected criminal activities in their areas and not to buy stolen goods from criminals.
Police have called upon communities in the areas around which the suspectswere alleged to have stolen goods during robberies to come forward to identify them at the Brits and Hartbeespoortdam police stations. Members of the public are expected to produce proof of ownership in order to claim their goods.
The Brits Cluster had recorded an increase of all categories of crime, contact crimes and property related crimes except murder during the 2009/10 financial year and has therefore received special attention and focus to turn the heat on criminals.
Interventions and support given to the cluster include deployments of a new station commander and cluster commander and allocation of additional resources. for an onslaught against crime. MEC Mohono is confident that with targeted and focused strategies, renewed vigour from the police and support of communities, the cluster will push back the frontiers of criminality further.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
