Four brutally killed on New Year’s Day
Despite the festive season crime operations, with the strategic placement of police officers, 2016 got off to a bad start in the Angelo informal settlement, where four people were brutally killed on New Year’s Day.
Three of them died on the scene and the fourth died shortly afterwards, in hospital.
According to Lieut Kwendzakwakhe Ngobese, of the Boksburg SAPS, in one of the most brazen criminal acts on New Year’s Day, the victim was walking along the street with his wife, when a gunman appeared out of nowhere and shot him dead.
The man’s wife was not injured.
The second victim was shot in the head outside a tavern called “Magida”, in the informal settlement.
The other two other men were stabbed to death in separate incidents. Both men sustained multiple stab wounds and their throats were also slit.
The spate of violent crimes has left residents in fear, while questions have been asked about the police’s ability to deal with the problem.
Dangerous illegal guns taken off the streets
Boksburg police managed to take six illegal firearms off the streets of Angelo informal settlement during the festive season.
In one of the incidents, on January 8, proactive police officers spotted a suspicious-looking car with five occupants driving alongside the settlement, and pulled it over.
Upon investigation, officers found a loaded, unlicensed firearm and a toy gun in the suspects’ possession.
Two of the suspects managed to escape, but the others were apprehended and charged with possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
It is believed that they were on their way to commit a robbery.
Another man, a Lesotho national, was arrested after he was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm in a tavern in the area.
Meanwhile a man was arrested after he pointed an unlicensed firearm at a woman in Angelo, during the wee hours of New Year’s Day.
According to Ngobese, the woman was walking along the street when the man threatened her with the firearm and demanded that she take him to her shack.
The terrified woman complied and when they arrived at the shack, the man put his gun under a pillow and immediately fell asleep.
The woman took the gun and handed it over to her neighbour, before they called the police.
The police arrived and found the man fast asleep, and he was immediately placed under arrests.
He was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and with pointing a firearm.
The woman told the police that the man did not rape her.
Burglary
Thieves took advantage of holidaymakers who left their homes unoccupied during the festive season.
According to a police report, 28 houses were burgled during this time.
“Most victims found that their homes had been burgled when they got back from their holidays,” Ngobese said.
He told the Advertiser that festive season operations were in effect, with the strategic placement of police officers.
In efforts to deter criminals from trying to strike, police also stepped up patrols to increase visibility. -@FanieFLK
