On 09 January 2017 Port Elizabeth’s Motherwell Cluster Hijacking Task Team and the detectives of all the Motherwell stations conducted a special tracing operation from 21:00 to 05:00. The team concentrated on serious crimes following a recent spate of house breakings and robberies in the cluster. In the process 67 houses were searched and 20 suspects arrested for crimes ranging from attempted murder, assault GBH and house robbery to unlawful possession of fire arms and ammunition. During the operation two suspects were arrested after being found in possession of a 38 special revolver.
In the past 48 hours, from sunday early till this morning, six house robberies occured of which two were in Kwadwesi, one in New Brighton, one in Kwazakele, one in Motherwell and one in Swartkops area. From these six incidents five suspects were arrested, one fire arm and one vehicle confiscated.
This brings the total number of arrests (past 48 hours) for housebreakings and possession of fire arms to eight (8) and fire arms confiscated to two (2).
In the majority of housebreakings we see the suspects forcing their entry into homes, armed with fire arms or knives either late at night or very early morning hours. The most common items sought by these criminals are flat screen or plasma televisions, music centres and speakers, clothing and other personal valuable items such as wallets and purses, bank cards, jewelery and cell phones.
In the latest case last night (Monday 9 January), three armed suspects forced their way into the home of the 20 year old Mvuyisa Macala at Bo Plaas in the Swartkops area at 21:00. The suspects also assaulted and injured him with a panga over his head and also kidnapped him by locking him into the trunk of their vehicle.
Alert Motherwell police members patrolling the area spotted the vehicle in Mvundla Street, NU12, and Motherwell at approximately 22:00. They forced the vehicle, a white Toyota Tazz to stop and on further inspection found the wounded Mr Macala in the boot, and also confiscated a shotgun fire arm and nine rounds of ammunition.
All three suspects were arrested for kidnapping, assault gbh and unlawful possession of fire arm and ammunition.
The vehicle was confiscated for further fingerprinting and investigation and the shorgun was linked to a Walmer theft of fire arm case belonging to Fidelity Guards in 2014.
The three male suspects, Ayanda Monakani 31, Siyabulela Olayi 23 and Cumani Makangela 26 appeared before the Motherwell Magistrates Court this morning and the case postponed for further investigation.
The Motherwell Cluster Commander, Major General Dawie Rabie ordered more intensified operations in the cluster with focus on robberies and house robberies, adding “We as SAPS want to assure our community that we will take these violent criminals off the streets and take them to court, but our community needs to also take responsibility in assisting police with identifying these criminals in order to ensure safety and security in our home environments.”
Alan Straton
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