Alarm as criminals now target armed response officers

Ga-Rankuwa police say they have noted with serious concern that criminals were now targeting armed security personnel with an intention to rob them of their firearms.

Police spokesperson Captain Matthews Nkoadi said business or household alarms were being triggered, and when the securities attended to these call-outs, they would be ambushed by heavily armed criminals, who robbed them of their firearms, leaving them stranded.

“This kind of criminal activity has been rife in Ga-Rankuwa and surrounding areas for the past few weeks. A call is hereby made to the security personnel as well as members of the public to be vigilant at all times,” he said.

“ Always to expect the unexpected.”

Nkoadi said preliminary investigations have shown that as soon as the security personnel realised that it was a false alarm, they would retreat in a relaxed manner, giving the attackers a chance to pounce on them.

He said the following safety hints may assist to prevent contact crimes:

– Always be on the lookout for suspicious persons.
– Avoid being alone in a vehicle when travelling at night.
– Always be alert when driving. If you suspect you are being followed by a suspicious vehicle, drive to the nearest police station.
– Increase caution at intersections, always keep a lookout for people loitering or any sudden activity around your car.
– When you are cornered comply, remain calm and do not argue with crime perpetrators.

He said in case of an emergency, victims of crime were advised to contact their local police station or contact SAPS Crime Stop number 08600-10111 or via the MySAPS app.

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