NORKEM Park SAPS reported a spike in house robberies and hijackings over the Easter weekend.
Capt Lesibana Molokomme, spokesperson for the police station, said in most of the hijackings people were robbed of their cars while parked outside their premises having a conversation.
“We appeal to residents to finish their conversations inside the house as many hijackings occurred in driveways.”
Molokomme said the house robberies mostly occurred when the victims were asleep, in the early hours of the morning.
He urges residents to report any strange noises, whether in the house or outside, to neighbours or to the police rather than to go and investigate themselves.
A common thread in both the hijackings and house robberies, the police said, was that the perpetrators were armed and operated in groups of two to three.
During the Easter weekend, Norkem Park SAPS arrested three suspects for assault, one for pointing a firearm, one for shoplifting and four for driving under the influence of alcohol.
One driver, aged 31, accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, tried to bribe the arresting officer with R310.
The officer, however, stood loyal to his task and proceeded to also charge the man with bribery.
