UMBILO police crime prevention members made a breakthrough on Monday, 16 September with the arrest of four men believed to be part of a gang of robbers terrorising pedestrians on Tollgate Bridge.
According to Beverly Manqele, communications officer at Umbilo SAPS, a man was walking down Tollgate bridge, heading to the market area to get a taxi when he noticed two men stand up and walk towards him as he passed the bridge. “The men came towards him and when he looked up again he noticed seven others closing in on him. They grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled an Okapi knife on him,” Manqele said.
The suspects put their hands into the helpless victim’s pockets and took his Blackberry cellphone and then asked him for money.
“When he said he had no money, they told him to go. The victim ran to a garage across the road and called the police.” Police members searched for the suspects with the victim until he pointed four of them out.
All the men were arrested and police are confident other arrests will be imminent.
“Tollgate bridge and Rossburgh foot bridge have been a hot spot for common robberies but we are making many arrests and our under cover Crime Prevention members are doing an excellent job,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mayville police whose precinct also boarders the tollgate area, have also interviewed the suspects who are believed to be linked to crimes in the Mayville area.
