Smash-and-grab perpetrators beware.
On the morning of 4 October, Hot Squad members who were on duty on the corner of William Nicol Drive and Fourways Boulevard observed a man attempting to force entry into a vehicle and called for backup, according to a post on the Future City Fourways (FCF) Facebook page.
The suspect fled into a crowd at a nearby taxi rank where he allegedly stabbed a woman before he was subdued by members of the squad. Backup arrived, and police arrested the man.
The post went on to say that the stabbing victim was attended to by paramedics and is now in hospital in a stable condition. The driver of the vehicle involved in the incident has decided to lay a charge at the Douglasdale Police Station.
The Hot Squad was formed in September as a partnership between FCF and Hot 91.9fm as part of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department Traffic Warden Programme. Members are stationed at strategic intersections around Fourways 12 hours a day in an effort to fight crime.
“We are delighted that the training, hard work and many months of preparation are beginning to pay off in providing a comprehensive anti-crime screen for all of our community,” said Jean Berdou of FCF about the incident.
“For both people in vehicles or pedestrians in Fourways, this is just the beginning.
“The Hot Squad will be widening their areas of operation and future announcements will follow soon. The men and women in the Hot Squad are so excited and proud to serve and protect their community.”
Berdou added that in the first 30 days of the squad’s presence in the area, there were no reported smash-and-grab incidents.
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