No fewer than 32 people linked to 34 mall robberies across South Africa have been arrested in an on-going investigation.
According to national police spokesperson Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale due to the spate of mall robberies a multi-agency task team had been established to investigate and “urgently neutralise this threat.”
He said the task team comprised a police war room, detectives, crime intelligence, national prosecuting authority, telecommunication service providers and Business Against Crime in Gauteng.
“The main objectives of the task team were to identify and fully profile suspects and their associates, understand their modus operandi, identify mode of transport used and the market, profile routes, conduct linkages of suspects to existing incidents, centralise case dockets for thorough investigation, coordinate across provinces, engage with relevant mall managements and security at malls, conduct intelligence-led disruptive operations and target visible policing deployment at malls,” Makgale said.
He said during the period October 2014 to December 2014 various intelligence and disruptive operations were launched that led to the arrests of 26 alleged robbers from the various identified groups.
“The operations and arrests also linked 20 other business robbery cases, the recovery of vehicles, firearms, and cellular phones. It helped with the identification of receivers of cellphones and it disrupted the syndicate’s activities.”
Makgale said during February 2015 an operation was launched by the task team to address 10 alleged robbers who were identified to be involved in cellular phone shop robberies nationally.
“The suspects were monitored and during March 2015 information confirmed the suspects had travelled from Gauteng to the Western Cape to commit robberies at cellular phone shops.”
A joint intelligence-led operation was initiated by Crime Intelligence, head office and the Western Cape, special task force, provincial flying squad, provincial detectives and cellular phone service providers. He said the alleged robbers were monitored in the Western Cape scouting various malls in the Brackenfell, Tigervalley and Stellenbosch areas.
“On 4 March the suspects entered a Spar supermarket in Bellville where they committed an ATM bombing. The operational team responded and arrested six suspects and recovered four vehicles, cash, three pistols and explosive gels. Six cellular phones were also recovered during the arrest. Fingerprints were taken off the suspects and they were linked through video footage to 14 other business robberies in Gauteng and Western Cape,” he said.
He said most of the arrested individuals involved in the robberies at malls are behind bars but there are still a few outstanding arrests, which the task team is currently pursuing.
“All arrested suspects have already appeared in court and are still in custody. Various identification parades were conducted with witnesses to ensure positive identification of suspects,” Makgale said.
Makgale said a majority of the arrested individuals were Zimbabwean nationals and a few South Africans. Police were still waging war against the syndicate and were continuing to follow up clues that could lead to more arrests.
Malls that have been targeted in Pretoria include Wonder Park, Wonderboom Junction, Kolonnade, Hatfield Plaza, Mall@Reds, Centurion Mall, Centurion Boulevard, Irene Village Mall and the Centurion Lifestyle Centre.
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