More than a month after a group of alleged gangsters stormed the Jouberton police station outside Klerksdorp in North West, police arrested seven suspects for a spate of gang-related crimes perpetrated in the informal settlement in February.
The arrests last week were the result of a crime intelligence-driven operation by a multidisciplinary team that included detectives, tactical response team members, and members of the anti-gang unit.
They were arrested in connection with eight alleged gang-related crimes committed in February, said North West police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh.
“The suspects allegedly torched and damaged property belonging to apparent rival gang members. Furthermore, several cases of attempted murder were opened during the same period for investigation,” said Myburgh.
She said the arrests of the suspects, aged between 28 and 53, brought to 17 the number of suspects taken into custody since the first incident was reported in February.
The suspects appeared in the Klerksdorp magistrate's court on Friday and were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on April 16.
“The provincial commissioner, Lt-Gen Sello Kwena, congratulated the team for working around the clock to ensure that alleged perpetrators are put behind bars. He once more warned that acts of lawlessness and undermining the authority of the state will not be tolerated,” said Myburgh.
At 10am on March 1, several alleged gang members stormed the Klerksdorp police station and accused the police officers of colluding with a rival gang.
Police crack down on Klerksdorp gangs, 7 arrested
Image: 123RF/scanrail
More than a month after a group of alleged gangsters stormed the Jouberton police station outside Klerksdorp in North West, police arrested seven suspects for a spate of gang-related crimes perpetrated in the informal settlement in February.
The arrests last week were the result of a crime intelligence-driven operation by a multidisciplinary team that included detectives, tactical response team members, and members of the anti-gang unit.
They were arrested in connection with eight alleged gang-related crimes committed in February, said North West police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh.
“The suspects allegedly torched and damaged property belonging to apparent rival gang members. Furthermore, several cases of attempted murder were opened during the same period for investigation,” said Myburgh.
She said the arrests of the suspects, aged between 28 and 53, brought to 17 the number of suspects taken into custody since the first incident was reported in February.
The suspects appeared in the Klerksdorp magistrate's court on Friday and were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on April 16.
“The provincial commissioner, Lt-Gen Sello Kwena, congratulated the team for working around the clock to ensure that alleged perpetrators are put behind bars. He once more warned that acts of lawlessness and undermining the authority of the state will not be tolerated,” said Myburgh.
At 10am on March 1, several alleged gang members stormed the Klerksdorp police station and accused the police officers of colluding with a rival gang.
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A TimesLIVE report at the time said it was alleged that the group tried to disarm a police officer of an R5 assault rifle in the police station but they were driven off by members of the tactical response team who arrived to intervene.
The incident followed several arson attacks and attempted murders in Jouberton.
“However, it is suspected that the incident is related to setting alight of several houses and vehicles since Saturday February 20 2021 to date, though only cases of malicious damage to property, attempted murder, and arson were opened for investigation,” police said at the time.
TimesLIVE
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