The four police stations in Boksburg share crime trends and hotspots:
Boksburg SAPS
• Continuing motor vehicle related crimes.
• Common robbery and smash-and-grab have declined.
• Several routes remain high-risk hijacking zones, with armed criminals targeting both trucks and light motor vehicles. The modus operandi includes impersonating police officers (mostly traffic cops) and flagging down vehicles by signaling to the driver that the vehicle has a flat tyre or the boot or doors are not properly closed.
Hijacking hotspots:
• Rondebult Road, particularly near the N17 in Sunward Park and Freeway Park.
• Commissioner Street from Leeuwpoort Street to the intersection of Van Dyk Road next to ‘the corner shop’ in the industrial area.
• Van Dyk Road from Dunswart to Barry Marais and Jubilee roads, as well as the secluded areas on the border of Boksburg and Brakpan.
• The notorious stretch of Wit Deep Road between Main Reef and Lower Boksburg roads.
• The stretch of Trichardts Road around Cason.
Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Ntsako Ledwaba said the station is deploying additional resources to the hotspots.
Latest incident:
On the corner of Trichardts and Cason roads, a 32-year-old driver had his white Isuzu rollback tow truck hijacked by a gang of about five criminals, after they hoodwinked him into believing that they were clients seeking his service to tow their vehicle.
As he was waiting for the traffic lights to turn green, one of the assailants jumped into the passenger seat of the tow truck and pretended he needed help to have his ‘mini-bus taxi’ parked nearby towed.
The tow truck drive agreed and they drove to the gate of a property where the driver was overpowered, blindfolded and pulled into a waiting vehicle.
He was taken to a secluded spot in Leachville, Brakpan, where he was later dumped.
Police registered a case of truck hijacking, and kidnapping.
Decline:
Known smash-and-grab hotspots (corner Main Reef and Field roads, Rondebult and Pretoria roads and corner Commissioner Street and Van Dyk Road) have seen a drastic decline in reported incidents, according to the Boksburg police. Police have also noted a decline in the number of common robberies in the known hotspots within the precinct.
Statistics (January to March 2025/2024):
• Truck hijackings doubled.
• 42 vehicles were stolen.
• Common robbery went down from 11 to three cases.
• Robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased from 45 to 30 cases.
• Commercial crime went up to 109 from 102.
• Shoplifting up to 39 cases from 19.
Boksburg North SAPS
• Boksburg North CPF chairperson Mark Gilpin said hijackings have increased along the N12 highway, Atlas Road and throughout Jet Park.
• Anderbolt is a hotspot for business robberies.
• House burglaries are a problem in Witfield.
• There is a spike in vehicle theft, especially in and around malls, shopping centres and schools, where vehicles are often left unattended for extended periods.
• Boksburg North recorded 24 carjackings during the fourth quarter (January – March), a slight increase from the 23 cases reported in the same period last year. A total of 58 motor vehicles were stolen.
• The station also recorded 261 cases of commercial crime, up from the 237 reported the previous year.
Reiger Park SAPS
• Regent Street and Vickers Crescent are hotspots for murder, with most incidents occurring late on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
• Similar crimes are happening at Ramaphosa Circle near the taxi rank at around 23:00 over weekends.
“These are the times when visibility is poor, and most people are either walking home from social gatherings or returning from work,” said Constable Johannes Msimanga of Reiger Park SAPS.
• In Delmore Gardens, the open veld between Chocolate Door informal settlement and Delmore has become a danger zone, particularly for pedestrians.
• Common robberies have also been frequently reported on St Anthony Road, where criminals often target residents and passersby late in the evening.
Dawn Park SAPS
Meanwhile in Dawn Park, Sergeant Nkemeleng Mabula warned of a recent spike in house robberies, especially in Salfin.
• Another high-risk location is the open veld between Villa Liza and Dawn Park, where robbers reportedly hide in the bushes at around 19:00, waiting to ambush pedestrians. Some residents have been mugged and, in the worst cases, even killed, said Mabula.
• 23 vehicles were hijacked, an increase from 18 cases reported between January and March in 2024.
• 18 vehicles were stolen.
• Common robbery went up from 12 cases in January to March 2024 to 115 in the same period this year.
“Residents are urged to report suspicious activity to their nearest police station and work with CPF. We are intensifying patrols in these areas but community co-operation is key to making a lasting difference,” Mabula said.
Also Read: Operation Shanela targets crime in Reiger Park
