Fleeing felons run afoul of the law
Officers chased one suspect that had an object wrapped in black plastic in his hands. The suspect dropped the object and was caught.
The new month did not just usher in a new season, it also sparked the discovery of an unprecedented number unlicensed firearms in Westbury.
With the recent shootings in the area, it is a daunting task to link suspects who are found with unlicensed firearms to unsolved crimes but Sophiatown police have been hard at work in detecting unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
According to communications officer Jerbes de Bruyn, on September 1, police on patrol in Westbury at about 9.30pm came across a suspicious vehicle.
As they stopped the vehicle, one male occupant exited and started running away. The police chased him on foot and managed to apprehend him.
Police recovered an unlicensed firearm on and ammunition on the man. He was arrested and detained on charges of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The following night, police officers patrolling the Newlands area were on high alert when a man who spotted the police vehicle immediately made a break.
“The officers chased one suspect that had an object wrapped in black plastic in his hands. The suspect dropped the object and was caught,” said de Bruyn.
An unlicensed shotgun and five rounds of ammunition were found in the plastic bag. The suspect was arrested and detained for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
In another incident, the police received a tip-off of a 44-year-old suspect who they were looking for at Tamboekie Court in Westbury.
When they arrived at the location, the suspect started running. During the chase, a suspect threw a firearm underneath a parked vehicle. He was caught a few metres away with an undisclosed amount of cash in his possession.
“When the police searched the suspect, they found another firearm hidden inside his pants. No shots were fired and the suspect was detained for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
He has a pending case for being in possession of illegal substances,” said de Bruyn. Community leader Shahiem Ismail said, “The community needs to work together even if it means getting our own children arrested.
If you find a gun or drugs, call the police. Let us direct our children to the church and the mosque so they follow the right path. Let us become parents again.”
Speculation is rife about the involvement of gangs but police have not gathered solid evidence to prove that the recent shootings can be attributed to any of these.
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