Arrested for ‘fighting crime’

RESIDENTS in the northern suburbs in Pietermaritzburg, who declared an all-out war with criminals, found themselves on the other side of the law after they were arrested for apprehending three suspected robbers who were allegedly stripped naked and attacked with paint ball guns.

Plagued by a recent spate of house robberies and muggings, Khan Road residents, together with other suburbs in the greater Raisethorpe area, formed a Sector 4 policing chat group on WhatsApp.

Members of the chat group were recently alerted to a house robbery in progress. It is believed the three suspects were then apprehended by community members.

According to residents who followed the unfolding drama, police either failed to respond or were delayed.

During this time the suspects allegedly divulged details of a “safe house” in the informal settlement where stolen goods, including TVs, appliances and even stolen electricity cables, were being stored.

While waiting for the police to arrive, it is believed that community members insisted on the suspects taking them to the “safe house”.

“While they were about to proceed to the informal settlement, a scuffle broke out and the suspects attempted to flee. Community members had no option but to then take the suspects by force to a house in Khan Road to prevent them escaping,” said a resident, who claims to have followed the sequence of events on the day.

The three house robbery suspects claimed that when they were taken to the house in Khan Road, they were assaulted, stripped naked and shot at with paint ball guns.

They managed to escape and flagged down a police van.

Mountain Rise police spokesperson Captain Gay Ebrahim confirmed this: “The victims are in hospital receiving necessary medical attention and three suspects have been arrested and detained for attempted murder.”

The residents were released on bail later that evening. Other residents in the area are now crowd-funding money to cover the bail expense and for future legal expenses.

“I don’t think people appreciate how dangerous it was for the residents to apprehend these armed criminals. These guys repeatedly tried to escape using violent means… The paint ball gun wasn’t used to humiliate the suspects.

“They used it to try and defend themselves and prevent the suspects fleeing, which they eventually managed to do. Residents are not trained to restrain armed criminals and shouldn’t be put in a position like that… really it’s a jungle out here. Crime is out of control,” said a resident from Khan Road.

Sector 4 Policing chairman Sunil Beharie said the forum was formed to “beat criminals at their own game”, given how stretched police resources were. “The community is frustrated with losing property and loved ones being victimised at the hands of criminals, who can be caught and jailed,” said Beharie.

Despite the visible increase of private security patrols in hotspot areas such as the Raisethorpe CBD, Sector 4 policing forum says there are still areas vulnerable to crime.

“Not every resident in Northdale can afford private security. But almost every resident involved with the Sector 4 chat group can be assured that dedicated volunteer members will be on the scene to help and circulate an alert of any criminal offence,” said Beharie .

Ebrahim, while acknowledging that police resources were stretched, urged residents not to take the law into their own hands.

“There is a duty officer who the community can contact at Mountain Rise if they experience delays with calling 10111. The duty officer can promptly alert patrol vehicles in the respective areas.”

Those arrested will appear in court next month.