Police are looking for a gang of seven men who had been harassing residents in the west of Pretoria before Christmas. However, since the start of the festive season there had been no incidents.
A decrease in crime at smallholdings in the west of Pretoria could be attributed to the end of harassment by a ‘terrorist gang’ of seven. They have not struck again over the festive season.
Many residents at the smallholdings went away for the festive season, but the gang has not caused any problems for other residents. During the months leading up to the festive season, residents of these smallholdings had been targeted by the men, robbing, shooting and assaulting them.
“Since we started to be more vigilant, no crimes have been committed by this gang lately. Most people have gone home for the holidays, and the gang did not strike, but in our neighbouring area (Hartebees), people were killed,” said Jan Nel, Hercules Sector 4 chairman.
He said there had been a robbery at Bonanza which was close to the smallholdings where men, allegedly wearing security guard uniforms, struck. “We are not sure if they are the same robbers, because in some of the other incidents at the smallholdings, people noticed the men also wore security guard uniforms.”
The past few months, residents at smallholdings have been living in fear of the seven men who had been terrorising them. According to police spokesperson Captain Bonginkosi Msimango the men had been armed with a rifle, pistol and a bolt cutter. The men forced their way into residents’ homes and robbed them of valuables. They also shot a resident during a house robbery.
At first there were believed to have been four men in the gang, but it turned out there were seven who were still at large.
Police were not available for comment at the time of going to print. Residents in the area have been warned to be on the lookout for the seven men and alert the police and community policing forum should they have any information about the men.
Anyone with information can call Hercules police on 012-377-4100 or Crime Stop 0860010111 or SMS crimeline 32111.
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