Simultaneous joint crime prevention operations conducted in various clusters across the province from Friday until Sunday morning resulted in the arrest of 554 persons on suspicion of crimes ranging from possession of dagga, possession of dangerous weapons, common robbery, theft, robbery with a firearm, liquor related incidents as well as contravention of the Immigration Act.
Provincial Police Communications Head Motlafela Mojapelo indicated that the intensity of the operations has resulted in proven impact across Limpopo as more criminals find themselves behind bars. The operations included roadblocks, stop and searches, raids, patrols and visits to liquor outlets and businesses.
Mojapelo cited as one of the highlights an operation in Bolobedu South conducted by Police in the Tzaneen Cluster and focussing on the confiscation of counterfeit goods. The operation resulted in hundreds of counterfeit items such as shoe polish, deodorant, cigarettes and sanitary pads being seized.
Police in Polokwane focussed on hotspots in the Central Business District (CBD) and surrounds, including shopping malls. Ninety-eight persons were searched during the stop and search operation. Six suspects sought for cases of theft, assault, fraud, defeating the ends of justice, robbery with a firearm and house breaking were nabbed by detectives during the process. The suspects, aged between 31 and 44 years, were expected to appear in Polokwane Magistrate’s Court earlier this week.
In Seshego Cluster the team which has been tracking suspects stealing cell phone tower batteries around Seshego and Polokwane managed to arrest a 32-year-old suspect at Chebeng village after he was found in possession of 13 suspected stolen batteries with an estimated value of R100 000.
The person, believed to be part of a syndicate that has been operating in the specific areas, attempted to escape from custody while at the Police station. In the process he allegedly hit a window and damaged it thereby adding a charge of malicious damage to property. Preliminary investigations linked him with another suspect who was arrested in Seshego recently on the same charge, according to Mojapelo.
Meanwhile, in the Thohoyandou Cluster an operation activated to trace a suspect involved in residential burglaries led to the recovery of suspected stolen property at a house in Tswinga village. The suspect managed to escape but Police have since launched a manhunt for his arrest.
Among the recovered items were a music system, refrigerator, amplifier, wall clock, two sets of cutlery, two kettles, bedding, a wheelbarrow, eight boxes of tiles, a plasma screen television set and some groceries.
Mojapelo added that the operations also resulted in several knives and large quantities of liquor been confiscated and six shebeens being closed.
Story: RC Myburgh
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