EASTERN CAPE – Maximum police deployment and high visibility in hotspot areas during this festive period resulted in the clampdown on criminal activity.
Mount Road and Motherwell clusters in the Nelson Mandela Metro affected a total of 63 arrests from 24-27 December 2019. Suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from domestic violence, housebreaking and theft, drunken driving, malicious damage to property, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of suspected stolen property, drug possession, rape, sexual assault and theft.
A total of 123 rolls of dagga, 4 toy guns, an airgun and a homemade firearm, 10 knives, 150 tablets, a small quantity of tik and cocaine, 11,585 kg dagga and 13 rounds of ammunition were confiscated. Port Elizabeth K9 Unit also recovered 3 hijacked vehicles in the Motherwell area. No arrests and vehicles were found abandoned in the streets.
On 25 December 2019, Public Order Policing members acted on information received and searched a flat in Church Street in Walmer. Dagga weighing 11.585kgs was confiscated and a 32-year-old male was arrested for dealing in drugs.
All the arrested suspects will appear in the respective courts today, 27 December 2019.
Police operations and visibility will be maintained throughout this festive period. Police are once again warning motorists to refrain from drinking and driving. In the last two days, 16 people were arrested for drunken driving.
Mount Road Cluster Commander, Maj Gen Thembisile Patekile is urging the communities to be responsible during this period. ‘We will be clamping down hard and fast on anyone who breaks the law. We will be working with other law enforcement agencies to ensure maximum deployment so that the people of Nelson Mandela Metro and visitors to the city are and feel safe,’ cautioned Maj Gen Patekile.