A total of 81 offenders, including 40 lapswaaiers and 24 illegal immigrants, were arrested recently during a crime-busting operation in Pretoria Central, the Tshwane metro police said. Other offenders were detained for assault, fraud and possession of dangerous weapons.
“Some of the suspects are facing charges of attempted robbery, illegal public gambling, drugs and public drinking,” said spokesperson senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba.
Mahamba said the metro police would continue with the operations until the problem of the lapswaaiers was resolved. In August, a family was robbed at knife point outside the Pretoria Zoo after the lapswaaiers told the family to park in a designated area far from the zoo’s entrance.
Earlier this year in September, the Tshwane metro said safety would be improved around the National Zoological Gardens of Pretoria following reports of robbers outside the premises.
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