POLICE operations in Limpopo province have resulted in the arrests of 900 people for various crimes.
During the operations, a dozen illegal firearms were confiscated and various suspected stolen goods and money were recovered.
“The suspects, aged between 19 and 57 were nabbed for various offences ranging from murder, attempted murder, rape, Illegal Immigration Act, armed robbery, fraud, trading without license, theft, Road Traffic Act, burglary residents and businesses, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, public drinking, possession of dagga, contravention of Liquor Act, possession and dealing in dagga to stock theft,” Ngoepe said.
He said In the Senwabarwana Policing precinct outside Polokwane, two suspects aged 24 and 26 were arrested in possession of two cell phones which were stolen at a local business.
“Subsequent to the arrest, these suspects were linked to ten cases of business robberies committed several months back where they were terrorizing members of the community in a number of villages including Ga-Kgare, Schoongezt and Ga-Kobe. The car believed to be used during these robberies was also recovered,” he said.
He added that in the Mankweng Policing precinct outside Polokwane, a 28-year-old man was arrested for a series of incidents which include burglary in residences. He was terrorizing members of the community in the area for some time.
Including items that were recovered during all these operations were 18 firearms, 67 rounds of ammunition, three magazines, 13 motor vehicles, a truck and a trailer, 20 cell phones, 15 laptops, three plasma TV’s, 12 cows with two calves and six goats, one video camera and one photo camera. There were also 168 quarts of liquor, a safe, 126 sachets of drugs, 105 Dagga plants, 105 sachets of dagga, rolls and plastic of dagga, one solar panel valued at R65 000, Cigarettes, groceries, airtime, clothing, bags of cements,17 bank cards, IT equipment, 121 ID books and grinders.
Ngoepe said that these operations were conducted through roadblocks, stop and searches, tracing of wanted suspects and raiding of unlicensed business.
“The arrested suspects have already started appearing before different Magistrate Courts throughout the Province facing various offences. The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has commended members for ensuring that Limpopo residents are at all times kept safe and has vowed that these operations will continue until crime is normalized throughout the Province,” he said.
