Authorities are stepping up a gear in preparation for the festive season crime wave.
This week was the turn of the jackal to be the mascot for Florida Police’s crime-busting operations. Conducted in two phases, the operation was held on Monday November 22 and Wednesday November 24, focusing on trio crimes, contact crimes and the causes of these crimes. Trio crimes are house robberies, business robberies and carjackings, while contact crimes are aggravated robbery, common robbery and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Monday’s first phase yielded positive results with two suspects arrested for possession of drugs, which along with alcohol is identified as one of the root causes of the abovementioned crimes. Police confiscated two bags of crystal methamphetamine, 19 small bags of marijuana, a plastic bag full of marijuana, two machetes and one knife.
In the parade before Wednesday’s mission, Pastor Ole E Laleye of Supernatural Life Church had a few inspirational words for the uniformed officers. “Fighting crime is warfare of the mind. Crime has become a stronghold in the mind of those who commit it and our weapon of warfare against this stronghold is prayer,” said Pastor Ole, who’s church is based on Plaza Road, a well-known drug-dealing area.
Wednesday’s second phase was more fruitful, bringing several more arrests and successes. A stolen vehicle was recovered and a suspect arrested for driving said stolen vehicle, while another was arrested for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Detectives secured the apprehension of suspects wanted in cases relating to pointing a firearm, assault GBH, common assault, reckless and negligent driving, as well as two men for housebreaking, theft and assault.
A great concern of Florida Police station commander, Colonel Amos Tsotetsi, is the prevalence of firearms in the commission of crimes in the policing precinct. He urged the members to be safe, while congratulating them on the recent drug busts and asked them to help with his war on housebreaking, car thefts and car hijackings, stating “This is not a reactive force, it is a proactive force”.
