Pretoria – Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela, led Operation O Kae Molao in Tshwane during which more than 390 people were arrested in past months.
Among those arrested is a 34-year-old man linked, through DNA, to seven serious crimes. These include armed robberies and the theft of vehicles around the Temba area of Tshwane.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, said the man arrested on Thursday was a notorious 34-year-old. He had previously been arrested 11 times for serious crimes, including murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, burglary at residential premises and theft of a motor vehicle.
These crimes were committed between 2013 and 2020.
Last Friday, the 34-year-old was attending court in Temba and Ga-Rankuwa on a a case of murder, four cases of attempted murder and a case of armed robbery.
He has previously been convicted for housebreaking and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
Masondo said the anti-crime blitz started on Wednesday when 345 suspects were nabbed.
“The operation started with the tracing of wanted suspects by the detectives on the night of Wednesday. More than 345 suspects were arrested in Tshwane for crimes that include murder, rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and theft, among others,” Masondo added.
The second part of the operation, conducted on Thursday, resulted in the arrest of 45 suspects for crimes ranging from possession of drugs and undocumented foreign nationals.
Four unroadworthy vehicles were taken off the road at a roadblock and nine illegal liquor outlets were closed down.
“The suspects are expected to appear before different magistrate’s courts in due course,” said Masondo.
IOL