A housebreaker was found guilty in the Durban Magistrate’s Court and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on two separate cases recently.
Sphiwe Zulu Mncube (26) was convicted of residential burglary and house robbery. Both crimes were committed in Toti in 2007.
”The suspect was linked via fingerprints obtained at the scene of the crimes,” said Toti SAPS communication officer, Captain Charlene van der Spuy.
W/O KD Zungu was the I/O.
On Saturday, 4 October four suspects, one woman and three men, were arrested by Toti detectives in the Ixopo area for armed robbery and kidnapping committed in August in the vicinity of Galleria and Arbour Crossing.
“The suspects were operating in various shopping malls from the Durban area to Umzinto,” said Capt Van Der Spuy.
“The woman would go into a bank to identify any victims withdrawing large sums of money. She would follow the victim out, where she would throw a roll of money on the floor and ask the unsuspecting victim if the money belonged to them and then suggest they share it.
The victim would be steered by the woman into a quieter area where they would be approached by the three men. One would identify himself as detective Luthuli, produce a police ID card and ask the unsuspecting victim to accompany them to the police station for further investigation.
The victim would get into their vehicle, believing they were en route to the police station.
Inside the vehicle they would threaten the victim with firearms and demand they hand over the money the victim just withdrew.”
The gang was arrested in Ixopo after investigating officer W/O TC Nyawose, with the assistance of colleagues, W/O AS Hlubi, Csts L Gumede and SC Zithumani followed up on information received.
The suspects appeared in Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 6 October and the case was remanded for an identification parade on Friday, 10 October. The suspects remain in custody.
