PORT Shepstone SAPS conducted a crime prevention operation in Port Shepstone and surrounding areas last Friday (August 30).
The operation involved officers from the Port Shepstone Tactical Response Team (TRT), Public Order Policing (POP), Vehicle Identification Section (VIS), K9 unit, Durban POP, TRT (Durban and Pietermaritzburg) as well as RTI and Protection Services.
Twenty-three people were arrested for serious offences and 37 were arrested for drinking or being drunk in public.
“An 18-year-old was arrested when he was caught carrying a 42 inch plasma TV which had earlier been stolen from a vehicle in the Rathboneville area,” said police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Zandra Wiid.
“A few minutes later a 21-year-old man was arrested after breaking into a shop in the CBD and stealing various items. Another man was arrested for snatching a woman’s handbag in the CBD and two people, in Bhoboyi and Mkholombe respectively, were arrested for the possession of dagga.”
Seven ecstasy tablets were found on the ground at the taxi rank in Port Shepstone. Police seized various dangerous weapons and counterfeit dvds and made one arrest for gambling, one for urinating in public, two for breach of peace and one for dealing in liquor without a licence. Most of the suspects appeared in Port Shepstone court on Monday.
“This operation made a positive impact on crime in the Port Shepstone policing area as there was a significant decrease over this period,” said Lt-Col Wiid.
The station commander of Port Shepstone, Brigadier Agnes Nxamagele, was the overall commander of the operation. The Cluster Commander of Port Shepstone , Major- General Thembi Ndlovu, extended her appreciation to all officers who took part and succeeded in making a dent in crime.
