The Sandton Police Station has issued a warning following several cases of armed gangs targeting motorists and clients in Sandton.
Captain Granville Meyer, spokesperson for the Sandton police said these gangs often target people leaving shopping centres and rob them at gunpoint.
“Street robbery is one form of a larger set of problems related to street crime and issues of violent crime among strangers.”
Meyer said the robbers tend to take certain items during a robbery such as cash, purses, wallets, mobile phones, jewellery and other electronic devices.
“The proliferation of small, portable, expensive electronic items may be linked with street robbery.”
The items listed above are “hot products” that have similar characteristics:
- Concealable: The robber can hide the items on his or her person
- Removable: The robber can easily take the items from the victims
- Available: The items are commonly found on potential victims
- Valuable: The items are useful to the robber or others
- Enjoyable: The items are fun to use
- Disposable: The robber can easily sell the items to or trade the items with others.
Meyer continued that a gang using a Hyundai H1 whose modus operandi is to follow cars leaving malls and pouncing on them once they stop at filling stations or other shopping centres.
“Several cases of armed robbery and theft out of motor vehicles had been reported this month that implicated the gang.”
Crime in brief:
Captain Granville Meyer, spokesperson for the Sandton police said they arrested 12 suspects for various offences from 15 to 18 January.
- 2 for armed robbery
- 2 for shoplifting
- 7 for drug-related crimes
- 1 for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
“The suspects appeared in the Alexandra and Randburg courts. The outcome of their appearances are unknown at this stage.”
