Police have over the past weekend (weekend starting 19 October), arrested more than 200 suspects for crimes ranging from rape, sexual assault, murder and assault related to domestic violence.
According to a released statement by the South African Police Service, a 45-year-old man was arrested for the alleged murder of an elderly couple aged 80 and 82 in Sophiatown on Saturday, 19 October 2019. It is alleged that the local security officers were on routine patrol when they noticed a suspect assaulting the female victim upon which the security officers immediately intervened and ordered the suspect to stop.
“The suspect then fled the scene by jumping over the wall. The security officer gave chase on foot and apprehended the suspect who had been injured after shots were fired. Police were called to the scene and it was found that both victims have died. It is unknown at this stage if any other suspects were involved while the motive is suspected to be house robbery. Investigation is continuing,” said the police.
The statement also said that police also arrested more than 800 suspects over the weekend and recovered 12 unlicensed firearms. Suspects were arrested during routine and stop-and-search operations in various parts of the province. The perpetrators were found to have committed serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, car hijacking, and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, rape, fraud and theft.
“The discovery of most firearms came as a result of intelligence-driven operations. Police believe these firearms could have been used during the commission of serious and violent crime in the province, pending the outcome of ballistic testing towards establishing linkage to previous crime,” said the police.
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