A man who is allegedly part of a gang of criminals who have been terrorising Claremont residents was busted by Metro Police on patrol.
According to a source, the group drove a hijacked Ford Figo and robbed unsuspecting people in the streets.
While driving in Manenberg, one member of the gang was nabbed.
The City’s Safety and Security Mayco member, JP Smith, explains: “On Sunday Metro Police officers arrested a suspect for the possession of a hijacked vehicle at Klipfontein Road, Manenberg. Officers were on crime prevention patrols in the area when they pulled over a silver Ford Figo for a routine traffic stop.
“The officers noticed that there was no licence disc and investigation confirmed that the vehicle was hijacked. Officers also discovered that the number plates were fraudulent and that the vehicle was involved in an armed street robbery. The suspect, aged 39, was booked in at SAPS Manenberg.
“Officers also confiscated a cellphone and cash to the amount of R360. The vehicle was handed in at Stikland SAPS vehicle impound facility. SAPS investigators are now looking at linking this vehicle and suspects to a variety of street robberies that have occurred across the Southern Suburbs.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the man was arrested by Metro Police for the possession of a hijacked or stolen motor vehicle.
“The case will be investigated by Manenberg detectives.”
Claremont councillor Mikhail Manuel says on Sunday, a resident was robbed in broad daylight, apparently by the same gang. The incident was caught on security cameras.
“There was a robbery near Cavendish Square, a vehicle pulled up and three men got out and approached a pedestrian who was getting out of another vehicle and stole a laptop, got back into the car and drove away.”
He says his ward has cameras which checks all vehicle number plates to see if the vehicle could be linked to any crimes.
“We have a database of vehicles that are linked to various crimes. The licence plate recognition network will be able to pick up if the vehicle was linked to previous crimes.”
He says the car confiscated in Manenberg had different number plates but officers allegedly found the plates caught on their cameras in the boot.
“It was found out that the plates were taken off, the plates which were in the boot were the same linked to the Claremont robbery.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za