The headquarters of the Public Order Police in Faure has been robbed.
Among the list of stolen items are a launcher, eight stun grenades, two smoke grenades, two boxes of rubber rounds and two ammunition belts consisting of 40 rubber rounds.
A shocking internal SAPS report revealed the specialised SAPS unit was burgled on Monday morning.
According to the report directed at Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile, and other top cops in the province, officers found the thieves had entered a platoon store and also broke into the cage which houses the firearm safe .
The report further states that there were no witnesses.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Andre Traut, confirms the incident but says only non-lethal ammunition was stolen.
‘He says: “Kleinvlei detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding a housebreaking and theft case which was perpetuated at the SAPS Faure base.
“On Monday at around 11.30am, it was discovered that a storeroom was burgled and that non-lethal riot control ammunition and a gas canister launcher were stolen. No one has been arrested as yet.”
But according to a Daily Voice source, the officers working at the base had warned of problems prior to the burglary.
The source reveals: “The guys working there said a long time ago that the squatter camp which started nearby is problematic.
“There is an active shooting range and the people just walk onto the base as if it's just a sports field.”
Abie Isaacs of the Cape Flats Safety Forum says they were shocked to hear of the burglary and want to know how skelms managed to enter a SAPS base undetected.
Isaacs says: “We are angered that the store has been burgled and we call for a full forensic investigation.
“We believe the management of the base should be suspended with immediate effect, pending an investigation.
“We call on the authorities including IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] and the Hawks to put the communities at ease that they are dealing with this.”
Justin Kumlehn of the Western Cape Provincial Community Police Board adds: “We hope that the security deficiencies that allowed this incident to occur will be thoroughly addressed to prevent future occurrences.”
Ten years ago, slain Hard Livings gang boss Rashied Staggie was found guilty in the Bellville Regional Court of the theft and possession of arms and ammunition stolen from the Faure police base.
Staggie and seven co-accused were found guilty of stealing some of the arms that had gone missing from the base in June 1998.
Among the items stolen were 20 R5 rifles, 12 R1 rifles, 18 shotguns, eight pistols and almost 5 000 rounds of ammunition.
monique.duval@inl.co.za