Police ratchet up action with anti-crime blitz

Arrests for offences ranging from theft to drink and drugs in weekend operations

FESTIVE season clampdown operations are under way, with a number of people arrested in a weekend anti-crime blitz in Nelson Mandela Bay. While the exact number of arrests had not been released, police said the final tally would be known today as weekend operations draw to an end.

This comes only days after newly appointed police commissioner General Khehla Sithole announced that holiday season operations were being conducted countrywide.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said: “Festive season operations in the Bay are in full swing and criminals preying on shoppers at malls and irresponsible party revellers planning on drinking and driving are warned – we are out in force and you will have a bleak festive season if and when we catch you.”

At the weekend, officials from all seven police stations in the Mount Road Cluster were deployed.

“We have additional manpower deployed at all known crime hotspot areas and have specific teams to deal with the gang violence in the northern areas.”

Naidu said a 15-year-old youth was arrested by the specialist national intervention team minutes after a shooting in an alley in Helenvale at 3pm on Friday.

A 25-year old man was shot in the leg and taken to hospital.

“The teenager was arrested in Deverill Road after attempting to flee the scene. The firearm used in the shooting was not found on him.”

On the same day at about 9pm, a suspected robber was arrested only hours after a 41-year-old man was robbed outside his house in Airport Valley, Walmer.

“Two men known to the victim asked him for a cigarette and as he was handing them a cigarette, he was shoved into his shack.

“They took his clothing, money and cellphone,” Naidu said.

“While police were still on the scene, information was gathered and one of the men was arrested with the stolen property still in his possession.”

Fifteen people were also arrested for possession of or dealing in drugs.

One of the arrests was on Saturday when a suspect was caught during a police raid on a known drug den in Schauderville where police found dagga, mandrax and tik.

“Drug peddlers plying their lucrative trade are warned that there will be no mercy on them. They will be arrested and will face the full might of the law,” Naidu said

Also on Saturday, a woman was arrested for stealing a handbag from a Baywest Mall shopper.

“The Ford Fiesta used in the theft was later found at a car wash in Western Road, Central.

“The manager [of the car wash] was told to inform police when the owner returned.

“At about 9.30pm, two people were taken in for questioning and a woman was identified through video footage as being the culprit.”

Naidu said that joint opera- tions across the Bay would include metro police and traffic officials as well as officials from other state departments, such as Home Affairs.

“To achieve our objectives, there are multiple intelligencedriven and high visibility operations at all identified areas.

“These operations will include regular patrols, roadblocks, cordon and search operations, and the tracing of wanted suspects.”

Metro police chief Yolanda Faro said her team issued more than 300 fines ranging from people talking on their cellphones to taxis obstructing traffic.

“In addition, we arrested 10 drunk drivers as well as confiscating alcohol from people drinking in public areas,” she said.

Safety and security executive director Keith Meyer – who only started in his position last week – said plans were afoot to increase policing in the metro.

All those arrested at the weekend will appear in their areas’ relevant magistrate’s courts today and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Humansdorp SAPS Cluster nabbed a total of 121 suspects during festive season operations last week.

A total of 44 people were arrested for drug-related cases including possession of dagga and possession of tik.

One unlicensed liquor outlet was closed in Joubertina and a 44-year-old man was nabbed for contravening the Eastern Cape Liquor Act.

A total of 73 people were fined for non-serious offences such as drinking in public and drunk and disorderly behaviour.

Two people were arrested for possession of suspected stolen property.

We are out in force and you will have a bleak festive season if and when we catch you