NABEELAH MOHEDEEN
A firearm that was stolen in Nyanga in 2010, was recovered by police during a crime prevention patrol in Hanover Park on Monday.
Police were patrolling Walvis Court at about 3.30am on Monday May 23, when they noticed three suspicious-looking men who ran away when they spotted the police.
Police gave chase and one of the suspects threw a firearm on the ground.
The suspect was apprehend and a 9mm Norinco pistol, a magazine and ammunition were confiscated. Further investigation revealed that the firearm was reported stolen in Nyanga during 2010.
Police arrested an 18-year-old man on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The suspect is due to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on charges relating to the illegal possession of ammunition and possession of drugs.
* A 19-year-old man was shot on Sunday May 22. Surrey Estate Neighbourhood Watch responded to a complaint on Jakes Gerwel Drive opposite Athlone industrial area at about 5am.
A woman and a friend were held at gun-point and robbed of R500 cash.
The woman reported it to the neighbourhood watch. The group responded and found the suspect in the vicinity.
As they approached the suspect, he fired several shots at the group, hitting the 19-year-old man in the back and side. The suspect fled the scene on foot.
The 19-year-old was taken to hospital for emergency medical treatment. It is unclear if he is a member of the neighbourhood watch. A case of attempted murder has been opened for investigation.
* During the past week more than 600 people were arrested in the Nyanga Cluster, which includes Manenberg, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Bishop Lavis Philippi-East and Elsies River. Ten firearms were confiscated, including six 9mm pistols, one 0.38 special, one 6mm, and two revolvers.
Operations in the past week indicated that drugs like tik are still highly abused and unga is becoming the most used drug in Cape Town. A total of 116 houses were searched for drugs and around 350 people were found in possession of drugs. This included more than 6 000 units of dagga, over 520 units of mandrax, 13 units of cocaine, 351 units of tik and 121 units of heroin. More than 120 incidents of domestic violence were reported and 33 arrests were made.
A total of 65 operations were executed targeting illegal liquor outlets, with 15 people arrested and 1 000 litres of alcohol confiscated. About 1 782 spaza shops were visited and nine people were arrested.
Sixteen operations were conducted for tracing suspects which led to the arrest of 78 people, while more suspects were arrested during day-to-day operations.
* On Tuesday May 19, Manenberg SAPS arrested a 36-year-old man from the Greatfish area for the possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
Manenberg police’s crime prevention unit patrolled the Greatfish area when they spotted the man who was poised to run off when he saw the police. An officer stopped him and found a 9mm pistol with the serial number removed and 14 rounds of ammunition.
The suspect appeared in Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Thursday May 19. He was released on R1 000 bail and the case was postponed to Tuesday July 26.
* Four men were arrested on Tuesday May 17, for robbing a 30-year-old man in Kenwyn. The complainant was walking in Racecourse Road at about 1.30pm when he was approached from behind. One guy choked him while another searched his pockets.
Someone else grabbed a chain from his neck and the complainant fell to the ground.
An eye-witness informed the neighbourhood watch on social media and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Watch responded to the scene. They called Sector 2 manager, Sergeant Esli Lucas, who rushed to the scene.
Sergeant Lucas and a neighbourhood watch member gave chase and all four suspects were caught in Imam Haron Road. A Nokia cellphone and silver chain belonging to the victim were recovered from the suspects and returned to him.
All four men, aged between 18 and 26 years old, were detained at Lansdowne SAPS and face charges of robbery.
