Police ready to tackle vehicle-related crimes
The Benoni cluster vehicle-related task team commenced its duties on Friday, October 23.
Brig Poobalan Subbiah, acting Benoni SAPS cluster commander, established the team of seven, which will be led by WO Thomas Matsane.
He will be joined by six junior officers from each police station within the Benoni SAPS cluster.
Subbiah said Matsane is “highly skilled” in investigating vehicle-related crimes.
“His ability to apprehend suspects and complainants is unquestionable,” added the acting cluster commander.
Subbiah spoke highly of the junior officers who will fall under Matsane, saying they are very committed to policing.
The team will investigate hijackings and vehicle theft cases.
Subbiah told the City Times that there have been numerous incidents of false cases being opened with the police, most of which are perpetuated as a result of drugs.
He said people have, at times, opened cases of vehicle theft and hijacking when they are unable to pay for drugs, when, in fact, their vehicles were not stolen or hijacked but given to drug dealers as payment.
Furthermore, he explained, some drunk drivers and accident victims have in the past opened false cases in order to claim from insurance companies.
The City Times reported on Subbiah’s plans to implement a task team to focus on stop-and-search operations and another to investigate drug and prostitution cases in the paper dated October 9, but this has since been suspended.
Instead, the Benoni cluster priority task team – headed by Capt Alie van den Berg – will incorporate drug and prostitution cases into its scope of investigation.
The team’s success in apprehending violent and dangerous criminals is the reason that prompted the move.
He reiterated comments made earlier this month, in which he said he has his eye on the “big fish” when it comes to investigating drug-related crimes.
The duties that would have been undertaken by the stop-and-search team are now being fulfilled by seven duty officers within the cluster for the past three weeks.
What do you think the police should do to address crime in Benoni? Email your letters to bctletters@caxton.co.za.
