The Fairland police and various security companies operating in Northcliff are hot on an infamous armed robber’s heels.
On the evening of 1 March the Lone Ranger, as he is infamously known, was chased down but got away after being spotted by Fairland Police Station commander, Clive de Freitas and a Community Policing Forum (CPF) member.
According to Fairland Police Station spokesperson, Constable Kgatla Moloko, the pair were on patrol in Northcliff when they noticed a suspicious male.
“They said when they were driving past, he kept his head down and didn’t look up. The CPF member managed to jump out but then the suspect ran and jumped a wall in Elm Street,” Moloko explained.
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SCP Security director, Clive Maher, said that he and his team, as well as Beagle Watch and BCI Security, were called to the scene to assist in a sweep of the area to catch the Lone Ranger.
“We were out until about 11pm searching properties in Northcliff last night. One thing I can tell you is this guy is not afraid of electric fencing. He went through more than three electric fences as we were chasing him,” Maher said.
Moloko confirmed that police suspect the man is behind various house robberies in Sandton, Emmarentia, Parkhurst, Northcliff, Fairland and other areas.
“From what I’ve heard he’s a bit of a weird character – he does everything alone which is why he’s called the Lone Ranger. He robs houses between 7pm and 10pm, holds families up and takes electronics, loads them into the family’s car and drives off. He then ditches the car and moves on,” Maher explained.
He said while the suspect was not caught, police and security personnel were very close to catching him. Maher said if he hadn’t kicked a police officer to get away, once the officer grabbed his pants, he would have been arrested.
