Weekend crime round-up
An overview of crimes reported to local SAPS from February 28 to March 2.
The following crimes were reported to Brakpan police over the past weekend:
Friday – The occupants of a Mercedes-Benz attempted to stop a cash-in-transit van along the N17 highway, near Sallies Village. The incident took place at around 07:15.
The van was bumped by the Mercedes-Benz, but the van’s driver was able to keep the vehicle steady on the road.
Unable to stop the van, the driver of the Mercedes-Benz then made a U-turn and drove off. The alarm was raised, and the van was met by SAPS members. An attempted cash-in-transit robbery docket was opened.
• A cellphone was stolen from a vehicle parked along 12th Road in Maryvlei.
• Two white Volkswagen Polos were stolen from a complex along Koos Vorster Avenue in Minnebron.
One vehicle was found stripped in Soweto. A laptop inside this vehicle was also taken.
• A home in Grant Street, Sherwood Gardens, was burgled of a tablet, a cellphone, electrical tools, a generator, a motorcycle and other goods. The thieves gained access to the house, garage, an outside room and a vehicle.
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• A man was held captive for around six hours by two armed robbers. The victim was at the tuckshop at the corner of Blyde and Numbi avenues in Leachville, when, at around 19:00, he was approached by two men who pointed guns at him.
The victim was forced into his own car, where he was assaulted and driven to Rangeview Road in Dalpark.
He was then forced into another car, and assaulted again.
The robbers demanded his bank cards and cellphone, and transferred thousands from his bank account and also withdrew cash.
The victim was dropped off in Vosloorus along with his vehicle. It is reported the victim was badly injured. Cases of armed robbery and kidnapping were opened.
Saturday – A gang of robbers tied up a security guard and a maintenance worker at a business along De Kock Street in Vulcania.
The guard was patrolling the premises when he was confronted by an armed intruder just after midnight. At least five accomplices then joined the gunman.
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The guard was assaulted and taken to a room, where the maintenance worker had already been rounded up by the robbers.
The maintenance worker’s hands and feet had been tied with cable ties.
The guard was also tied up, and one of the robbers remained behind in the room to keep watch over them while the others searched the premises.
After the robbers fled later that morning, the pair untied themselves and sought help. A welding machine, 45m of cable, a cable stand, two cellphones and a wallet were stolen.
• A white Toyota Fortuner was stolen from the parking area of the Brakpan Indoor Sports Centre.
• A man was arrested for armed robbery after his victim alerted police.
The day’s events started along the N17 highway when the victim picked up two hitchhikers at around 13:45 and dropped them off at the Brakpan offramp.
While parked, a silver/grey Nissan Sentra stopped in front of the victim’s vehicle, and three men got out of the car and ran towards him.
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The victim tried to reverse, but one of the men had already opened the car door and asked why he was trying to leave.
The men told the victim they were from the taxi association and were checking on motorists who give lifts to pedestrians.
Two of the men then got into the victim’s car and instructed him to drive to Mall@Carnival. Upon arrival at the mall, the men demanded R4 500 from the victim and threatened to confiscate his vehicle if he didn’t pay up.
They told him R12 000 would have to be paid for his vehicle’s release. The victim told the men he only had R400 which he intended to use for petrol.
One of the men then pointed a gun at the victim and demanded his cellphone. The robber opened the victim’s s banking app, made him put in the pin, and then transferred the R400.
At this time, the victim’s phone rang and the robbers demanded R500 from the caller, who transferred the money.
The victim then spotted a police vehicle nearby and asked his captors if he could go to the bathroom. He took a chance and ran to the SAPS officers, who then accompanied him back to his vehicle. When the robbers saw the police, they took off running, but one was unable to evade capture.
Sunday – No priority cases were reported at the time of publication.
