Two police officers were unharmed after they were locked inside a shop during a night of protest in the Daggafontein informal settlement last Wednesday evening.
Explaining the events leading up to the incident, Barries Barnard of Wolf Protection K9 said his company was responding to a call for help after a robbery had taken place in Ermelo Road, when a motorist approached them and asked for assistance as his shop was being robbed in Daggafontein.
Wolf Protection K9, alongside Oos Rand 911 and other security companies, responded to the call for help and headed to the informal settlement.
A police van was already on site as police had received reports that a few businesses were being looted.
When a response vehicle from Beast Tactical drove into the settlement it was pelted with stones by angry residents.
Also read: Business robbery in Daggafontein
More vehicles from private security companies, EMPD and SAPS arrived on the scene to try and contain the situation.
“A member of the public then alerted us that there were two police officers taken hostage at one of the shops.
“The Springs Crime Intelligence Unit, the EMPD’s Covid Team and SAPS vehicles as far as Dunnotar arrived quickly.
“We grouped and the EMPD and SAPS took the lead and we decided to go and get the two officers out of the situation.
“We split in two and approached the shop from two sides.
“The community was burning tyres, pelted the shop with rocks and were trying to break the door.
“We found the officers in the shop with some of the shop’s staff members.
“We took all of them out of the shop to safety.
“It was one of the best feelings to find the SAPS members unharmed, but in shock,” said Barnard
Also read: Police conduct illegal mining operation in Daggafontein
As they left the scene, they found an SAPS vehicle had been set alight by the community and everyone involved in the rescue moved back to make way for the Public Order Policing (Pops) members.
“I realised again that the SAPS and private security companies as well as community organisations work well together in the fight against crime,” said Barnard.
Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubela confirmed that a police van had been completely destroyed in the fire and said a case of of malicious damage to property and public violence had been opened.
No arrests have been made.
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