Durban North police officers recognised for arrests

FOUR officers from the Crime Prevention Unit were recognised for their hard work last week by management of the Durban North police station.

Sergeant Kwenza Nkwanyana, constable Bokang Ramabele, sergeant Lina Nkosi and sergeant Mzwandile Manzini had secured arrests of suspects involved in a car theft syndicate and of two alleged drug dealers who were found in possession of R30 000 of cocaine.

Acting station commander, Colonel Patience Xulu, handed the members a certificate of appreciation and urged the officers to continue their fight against crime.

In other crime news: Three trucks with looted goods recovered on Queen Nandi Drive

According to Captain Raymond Deokaran, spokesperson for the Durban North SAPS, the quartet’s arrests had also linked the suspects to crimes outside their policing precinct, including Greenwood Park and Sydenham.

“In one of the incidents last month, our officers were on duty patrolling around Durban North when they spotted a white Nissan X-Trail which was reportedly involved in an attempted theft of a motor vehicle. They pulled up alongside the vehicle which had stopped on Radar Drive. They searched the vehicle and found eight master keys, a computer box, an Allen key, seven spanners, an engine controller, a signal jammer and two number plates. They also found a diagnostic machine and other vehicle break-in instruments,” he said.

“In April, the officers arrested three suspects trying to hot wire a vehicle in the parking lot of a Durban North supermarket. The door of the vehicle was also damaged. A search was conducted of the suspects’ getaway vehicle revealed the men had various number plates, a police two-way radio and two bags containing car breaking implements. Our station commander has tasked our members focusing on thefts out of and of motor vehicles and these members must be recognised for their hard work. In both cases, the suspects have been linked to other cases outside our policing precinct,” Deokaran said.

Read also: uMhlanga hospital warns of job offer scam

In the drug arrest, our officers spotted two men standing around a BMW parked in uMhlanga

“As our officers approached the vehicle to get them to stop, they sped off and a short chase ensued, leading to the suspects being arrested on the M4. They were found in possession of a block of cocaine worth an estimated street value of R30 000. The suspects were also in possession of a large amount of cash,” he said.