Crime Brief - 24 August 2009

South African Police Service Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens
Communication Service
Kommunikasiediens
Office of the Station Commissioner PO Box 2549 Honeydew 2040 Tel (011) 801-8507
Kantoor van die Stasie Kommissaris Posbus 2549 Honeydew 2040 Fax (011) 801-8502
E-mail: (Internal) GP: Honeydew Communication E-mail: (External) gp.honeydew-comm@saps.org.za
(MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE STATION COMMISSIONER)
Crime Brief - 24th August 2009

Garage Robberies: Currently the Garage Robberies are again showing an increase in the Honeydew Precinct. Garage owners and managers are requested to please sensitize their staff to be alert at all times. Large amounts of cash must NOT be kept in cash registers or in bags under the counter or in cabinets. Please make use of drop safes and check all security cameras on a regular basis. Also ensure that emergency numbers are available to the staff at all times. This must include the SAPS, Fire Department and Ambulance services.

• During a Garage Robbery, Friday evening at about 18:55 four armed suspects entered the garage pretending to be customers. They pointed the staff members and customers, with firearms. The owner of the shop was in his office when one of the suspects entered his office; the suspect was shot by the owner. One of the other suspects who was in the shop then shot a customer in the leg. The customer and the suspect were taken to hospital and currently the suspect is in a serious condition and the customer in a stable condition. The firearm of the suspect was recovered on the scene. The other suspects fled the scene with a handbag and cell phones.

• During another incident on Sunday evening at about 18:10 the staff was busy changing shift when four armed suspects entered the shop and instructed the staff and customers to lie down on the floor. The suspect robbed them of their cell phones, money and personal property and also took the money from the till. On their way out the suspects took a customer’s car keys and fled the scene with his Silver Corsa Lite.

Business Robbery: During Saturday evening at approximately 21:10 four unknown armed suspects entered a Restaurant in Weltevreden Park. The suspects pretended to be customers. The suspects demanded cell phones and cash from the customers. They also took liquor and cash from the restaurant and on their way out they fired two shots but no one was injured during the incident.

House Robberies:

• Friday morning at about 11:40 the complainant was alone in her town house, in Amoroso. She heard somebody knocking at the door and went to investigate. When she arrived at the door two suspects had already broken the door open. The suspects were neatly dressed in blue jeans and one had a blue checked shirt on, both suspects were bald. The one suspect told the complainant to be quiet and placed his hand on her month. They pushed the door closed and took the complainant inside the house where they ransacked the house taking various property after which they fled the scene on foot.

• Sunday morning at approximately 01:20, at a Town House complex in Wilgeheuwel, the complainant was awakened by three unknown men switching on the lights. The suspects tied up the complainant and ransacked the house. The suspects took electronic equipment, watches, a wedding ring etc. The complainant suspects that the perpetrators pulled the keys from the table and used it to open the burglar door as the door was not locked. The suspects fled the scene on foot and nobody was injured.

• Friday afternoon at about 12:00 three unknown armed suspects in a silver color BMW lifted the gate and gained entrance into a property in Boskruin. The suspects were all armed and pointed the complainant with a firearm and robbed her and the children. The suspects took a laptop, watches and cell phones. No shots were fired and nobody was injured.

Police Officer wounded and suspect killed in shoot out:

Saturday afternoon two armed suspects entered a house in Randpark Ridge were they robbed the owner of electronic equipment. The suspects then packed all their loot ready to be transported, but their transport was late and the suspects were disturbed. The two suspects then left their loot and jumped over the wall into another property where they grabbed the owner of that property at his pool. They demanded his vehicle’s keys, they took they keys and jumped into his caddy bakkie. The owner then ran into his house and fetched his firearm; he then started shooting at the suspects. The suspects then jumped out of the bakkie, the one suspect then jumped into their getaway vehicle, a black Mercedes Benz. The second suspect then jumped over another wall into another property. This suspect then Hi-jacked a Ford Fiesta and fled the scene. A lookout was given for the vehicle. Members from West Rand Flying Squad then noticed the vehicle, and gave chase and the suspect started shooting at the police officers. A Police Inspector, from West Rand Flying Squad, was wounded during the shootout and a 35 year old suspect was killed during the shooting. The Caddy bakkie was left on the scene by the suspect and the Ford Fiesta was recovered in Alexandra where the shootout occurred. Three unlicensed firearms were also recovered.

Greenbelt operation:

Last Wednesday, 19th of August 2009, from 03:00 members from Honeydew CPU, Londoloza Security and Gauteng Security had a Greenbelt clean-up operation. Areas that were cleaned were: the veld and surrounding areas at Hadeco and the “Little Falls” mountain, Plots on Penchartz Street in Harveston and the greenbelt in Ridge Road in Lazerpark. The following arrests were made during this operation: 22 Illegal Immigrants, 5 arrests on Bylaws and 15 suspects for Possession of Stolen Goods. Property that was recovered: Copper Cables and various electrical equipment.

ISSUED BY INSPECTOR KAREN JACOBS, SPOKESPERSON FOR SAPS HONEYDEW
Office: (011) 801-8604 or 082-337-1085