Two suspicious canopied vans stopped and 36 stolen sheep recovered
Rural Safety takes centre stage in some districts in Gauteng as stock-theft is known to go on the increase over the festive season. It is with this in mind that members from the Stock Theft Investigating Unit in the West Rand, working closely with K9 units from various districts, on Saturday morning 04 January 2020 apprehended stock-theft suspects driving in two vehicles, and rescued 36 sheep, hours after they had been stolen from a farm near the R500 in the Magalies policing precinct.
The members stopped two suspicious canopied vans and found both vehicles loaded with livestock – sheep that were later confirmed as stolen from a nearby farm.
Police were able to arrest the driver of one of the vans while suspects in the second van were able to evade arrest.
One hundred and fifty-nine more suspects were arrested in the West Rand for various other crimes including dealing in drugs, possession of suspected stolen goods, with fines issued to a number of a dealership for non-compliance with the Second Hand Goods Act.
In Tshwane, more than three hundred suspects were arrested during the weekend operations, some for serious and violent crime that include murder, robbery, rape and assault.
Ekurhuleni District conducted similar operations which led to the arrest of more than one hundred seventy suspects. These suspects are on the police’s wanted list for crimes inclusive of murder, rape, business robbery, house robbery, fraud, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Meanwhile, more than eighty wanted suspects were successfully traced and arrested during operations in the Johannesburg District. The suspects are on the police’s wanted list for various cases such as murder, rape, and kidnapping. A number of vehicles were also impounded on suspicion of being stolen.
This brought to total over 700 suspects arrested during the Safer Festive Season operations conducted in all districts in Gauteng. The suspects are expected to appear before different Courts across Gauteng between Monday and Tuesday (06 – 07 January 2020).
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has welcomed the arrests and thanked all the members for their unwavering commitment to bringing down crime over and beyond the festive season.
The operations will continue, with the focus now set to shift to post-new-year celebrations where most holidaymakers return to the Province and industries reopen for business.
Play your part to curb stock theft, helpful hints to prevent stock theft https://t.co/ozcp5iV9jj #ArriveAlive #StockTheft @SAPoliceService @AgriSAOfficial @vslandbou pic.twitter.com/wmahY1U8f3
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) January 5, 2020
