The notorious Rolex gang has been active in the Northern Suburbs for several years and has been terrorising residents who own high-end watches.
The Sandton Chronicle has reported on many cases of Rolex or high-end watch robberies, including the original gang and the emergence of a new ‘Rolex gang‘ that has been active after the arrests of the original gang members.
We have put together a list of cases that allegedly involve the notorious gang.
The original Rolex gang was arrested in 2014 after a high-speed chase with police. One of the gang members was killed during the shootout.
Earlier this year the remaining members were sentenced to a combined 682 years in prison for the crimes they committed.
Although it is unclear when the gang began to target motorists again, there have been many cases from 2016 to date, with more than seven cases of high-end watch robberies in last year alone.
The gang tracks down wearers of high-end watches and rob victims at gunpoint at shopping centres or garages. Often victims are followed from destinations in Sandton such as busy transport points or entertainment areas.
In 2016, there were several cases reported, but the most notable case was when a man was shot outside a primary school on 25 October. In that incident, suspects shot the victim in the leg and stole his Rolex watch.
On 31 May last year, a 49-year-old man was killed after he was followed home by suspects. The suspects took wristwatches, rings, cellphones and made off with the victim’s vehicle.
On 21 April and 9 July last year, there were several cases of apparent Rolex members who wore bandannas to cover their faces and targeted their victims in Illovo.
A prominent case, this year, involved two people who were followed home to a hotel/apartment building off Grayston Drive. The victim was gunned down in his vehicle. The suspects stole a high-end diving watch, jewellery, and cellphones during the incident.
In March this year, the South African Flying Squad managed to successfully arrest three alleged Rolex gang members on the R55. They are believed to have been on their way to commit a robbery.
Multiple queries were sent to Sandton police station regarding the Rolex gang, and despite making contact on several occasions, the police were unable to provide any information.
The incidents referred to in this article were confirmed at the time of their publication.
It is important to note that there may have been others cases involving the Rolex gang that might not have come to the attention of the Sandton Chronicle.
The community is encouraged to report any and all crime to their nearest police station.
Do you think the police are doing enough to curb the dangerous Rolex gang? Share your stories with us by emailing pieterd@caxton.co.za
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