WITH the new chief of police taking the reins in October, he came up with a strategy of breaking the back of criminality in Ekurhuleni.
Bafana Andries Mahlabe dubbed this the “Bumper to Bumper” operation. The strategy includes ways and means of creating an atmosphere of police omnipresence which puts pressure on criminals not to freely engage in their nefarious deeds.
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Criminals are made to constantly look over their shoulders as the metro police breathe down their necks.
Chief Supt Wilfred Kgasago, metro police spokesman, said: “The EMPD Public Order Policing Unit members on November 10 embarked on a special operation to hunt down wanted criminals, suspects who skipped bail as well as those who failed to make an appearance at court.
“The suspects were tracked down to their bedrooms and hiding places. The special operation went on throughout the night until 8am on November 11 and yielded 18 suspects on outstanding warrants.
“Three were nabbed for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in connection with cases registered this month at KwaThema, Olifantsfontein and Eden Park police stations. Two female suspects were rounded up on Katlehong SAPS cases registered early this month. Suspects picked up for common assault numbered five with cases laid at Tsakane, Katlehong, Tembisa and Olifantsfontein police stations,” Kgasago said.
Furthermore, one arrest each was made for crimes registered at various police stations in Ekurhuleni: assault and robbery in Alberton; robbery in April 2015 in Tembisa; car theft at Tembisa South SAPS; theft and crimen injuria in Eden Park; theft in June 2015 case in Katlehong; possession of stolen property in March 2015 in Eden Park; interference in police duties this month in Kempton Park and failure to produce proof of identification this month in Kempton Park.
