Shortly after Krugersdorp and Muldersdrift police launched a search for three hijackers dressed in police uniform, National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega expressed concern at the number of robberies allegedly committed by people wearing police uniform in Gauteng.
“So far there are about 250 dockets that are being followed up,” Phiyega said in a statement on Monday 21 October.
“These robberies, the modus operandi in particular, is of huge concern for me and I have set up a multi-disciplinary team comprising members such as detectives, visible policing, and crime intelligence, as well as a retired detective.”
The team would be led by Divisional Commissioner of Detectives, Lieutenant-General Vineshkumar Moonoo.
Phiyega says the trend resurfaced in the province over recent months with instances of business people being robbed on their way to or from the bank.
In other instances people were being followed and then robbed while travelling from the airport. Investigations established that some groups colluded with hotel staff, taxi drivers, and in certain cases, police.
“The role of police officers is found to be either be directly physically involved or supplying items such as uniforms, blue lights or firearms,” she says.
“Over the past couple of weeks, detectives have been interacting with victims and further analysing the cases to get a better understanding of the modus operandi, as well as identifying the people possibly involved. Indications so far are that these crimes are opportunistic in nature.”
The police urges people who are stopped by a private car fitted with blue lights to slow down and continue driving to a well-lit area or to the nearest police station.
