Three suspects will be appearing in the Tembisa Magistrates’ Court on charges of impersonating police, house robberies, possession of unlicensed ammunition, explain Tembisa Cluster Commander, Major-General Leshabane. The suspects alleged to have been terrorising the community, committing a number of crimes in and around police in fully police uniform, including ranks of Constable, handcuffs, ammunition and fake firearms.
Police pounced on the notorious three suspects who have been tarnishing the name and image of the Gauteng police and South Africa Police Service at large. Cases of robbery and hijacking by suspects who pose as police were reported in Gauteng. Such concerns reached the office of the National Police Commissioner, General Riah Phiyega who also took steps by establishing a team under the leadership of Detective Head, Lt-Gen Vushnoo to deal with all criminals who pose as police officers.
Major breakthroughs were made with the recovery of police uniform, cloned police vehicle, blue lights in the proses of arresting the culprits.
Tembisa police closed down a syndicate that claimed to be members of the police K9 unit when they surprised the criminals while busy robbing people at Setuka hostels. A team of detective assigned to investigate a spate of robberies in the area finally napped the men in the act of house robbery.
Concerned from victims of such criminality of bogus police which causes sleepless night for Tembisa station commander, Brigadier Jacobs were resolved with the successful arrest of the trio.
Shocked and left in disbelieve, Brigadier Jacobs applauded the members for the job well-done following the arrest. “We have received a number of grievances from our policing precinct and we took the concerns and complain seriously that a team was assembled to investigate. This is a great success because such criminals tarnish our integrity while destroying the good community relations we have with the people we police.
If our relationship with the community is at poor, that also affect our strategy to fight crime. We need community to be at its peak in dealing with crime and we will welcome all information that can lead to the arrest of any person who is found acting against the law, explain Brigadier Jacob.
It is alleged that the three suspects who were in full police uniform and claimed to be part of the Gauteng K9 were involved in a number of crimes in and around Tembisa area.
The suspects who were not aware that members of the police were following their mischievous acts were caught in the act while in full police uniform, including Constable Ranks, boots, fake firearm and handcuffs and ammunition.
The suspects were taken by surprise when the real police officers emerged following a close monitoring of their actions. During investigations police discovered more of police uniform in one of the suspect’s house. The suspects were linked to more other crime where members of the community claimed that three men in police uniform came and demanded valuables from the victims. They were charge with impersonating a police officer, house robbery, common robbery, possession of ammunition and will appear in the Tembisa Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.