Robbers, thieves wreak havoc in Boksburg
The 29-year-old man is suspected of being the kingpin of a criminal gang that has been brutally attacking and robbing people in the area.
Police have been looking for the suspect since last year, and they finally cornered him in his shack, in the informal settlement.
The man reportedly noticed the officers entering his home and he allegedly drew his gun, pointed it at them and attempted to flee.
However, Det Sgt Calvin Mphaphuli and his colleagues managed to arrest the gunman and to confiscate his gun, after they had shot him in the buttocks.
The suspect was taken to hospital for treatment, but he was later discharged and sent to the police cells.
The suspect’s gun was sent for ballistic tests to establish if it was used in the commission of other crimes.
According to Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Lieut Kwendzakwakhe Ngobese, the man was allegedly involved in a number of brutal armed robberies in the informal settlement.
These include a robbery where the victim was shot dead, the December 16 robbery, in which a tavern owner was shot about 13 times, and another business robbery, where the victim was also shot.
“It’s understood the arrested man and his accomplices have been terrorising businesses, people walking the streets and illegal miners underground,” Ngobese said.
“The man has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder, and will appear in court on Monday, June 20.
“More charges could be added.
”His accomplices are still at large, but police are working around the clock to bring them to book for their crimes.”
Concerned community members reportedly applauded the police for finally dealing with the man who had forced them to live in fear of being killed or robbed of their belongings.
The detectives handling the matter said some community members have even phoned to say they all breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the news that the most feared man had been taken into custody.
Community leaders in the settlement repeatedly told this publication that thugs rule the streets of the area, making residents feel like prisoners in their own homes.
To ensure that the perpetrators don’t escape the consequences of their actions, the investigating officer, Det Sgt Calvin Mphaphuli, has asked members of the public, the community of Angelo in particular, to assist the police in securing the convictions of those responsible for criminal activities.
He appealed for potential witnesses to come forward, and urged those who were previously attacked by the arrested man and his accomplices to contact him on 071 422 7417/011 841 6858
At least three violent crimes a week are committed in Angelo informal settlement and this has prompted the Boksburg police to step up patrols, to target those responsible for the incidents.
For some time now, violent crime in the area escalates at the weekends, with criminals killing and robbing people in the streets and even in their own homes.
Illegal shebeens in the area, which operate 24/7, are suspected of being the main contributing factors in any rapes, fatal stabbings or shootings and murders.
A number of community representatives, fed up with this violence, regularly meet with the police in an attempt to bring the ongoing criminal activities to an end. -@FanieFLK
