According to a spokesperson for the Reiger Park SAPS, Sgt Mashudu Phathela, cases of drunken assault, burglary and house robbery increased markedly in the policing precinct in the weekend leading up to Christmas, starting on December 19 and running until the first week of January.
It dropped off only during the second week of January.
Reiger Park police had to deal with at least three cases of serious assault or attempted murder per day, between December 19 and January 3.
One of the drunken assaults led to the death of a 28-year-old man, who was was stabbed multiple times, while drinking outside a tavern.
Meanwhile, another man was shot dead outside a tavern during the same period.
Thieves broke into dozens of homes in Reiger Park, stealing valuable items worth thousands of rand.
Phathela mentioned a number of reasons why crime rates increase over the festive season, emphasising that excessive alcohol consumption was the main cause for assaults, attempted murder and murder cases reported over the festive season.
“At least 80 per cent of these assaults involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrators and the victims,” he said, pointing out that, in many cases, taverns, shebeens and private homes of victims or perpetrators became crime scenes, especially when people were under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” he said.
“We are deeply concerned about these drunken assaults, which have resulted in a number of people being taken to hospitals with serious injuries, or even killed.
“Our detectives are working hard to hold those involved accountable.”
Phathela added that, in the cases of assaults, most of the suspects were arrested because they were known to the victims.
However, suspects in the other cases, including murder, theft and robbery, are still at large.
“In the case of burglaries, break-ins and thefts, the opportunities for crime presented themselves because many victims were away on holiday, but we are confident that we will make arrests once we have received the fingerprint results,” said Phathela.
This significant spike in crime during the festive season prompted police officials to intensify patrols and raid legal and illegal taverns frequently.
The Boksburg policing precinct has also witnessed quite a number of armed robberies, while two murders were reported in Angelo informal settlement over the festive season.
A group of about five armed men stormed the Russell’s furniture store in the Boksburg CBD on Saturday morning, December 27.
They held staff as well as customers at gunpoint, while robbing them of their belongings.
The thugs made off with 28 cellphones and four laptops, and they are still at large.
Other armed robberies were reported in Cason, Angelo informal settlement, Sunward Park, the Boksburg CBD and Parkrand over the same period.
A woman died after the shack in which she was sleeping burnt down in Angelo informal settlement burnt down over the festive season.
The cause of the fire remains unclear at this stage.
Also in Angelo informal settlement, a Lesotho national died on New Year’s Day, after he was shot in the chest by an unknown gunman.
In another story, a man allegedly raped his ex-wife in broad daylight, inside a car parked outside the Boksburg Civic Centre on December 28.
– @FanieBoksburg
