Cops raid homes after crime spike
Malvern police and Chatsworth Crime Intelligence officers struck at three addresses in pre-dawn raids.
|||Durban - Three burglars – one of whom was shot – have been arrested, and stolen items recovered by police this week.
Malvern police and Chatsworth Crime Intelligence officers struck at three addresses in pre-dawn raids on Tuesday.
Later on the same day, Bellair police responded to a burglary in progress and shot one of the burglars in the leg.
In Malvern, the police raid was aimed at stopping the flow of criminals from neighbouring Shallcross and Chatsworth. Because of the displacement of crime, housebreaking was on the rise in Malvern. The raid was led by Lieutenant Colonel Valarine Reddy, station commander of SAP Malvern.
Police raided three hotspots simultaneously. In a Shallcross home, police seized flatscreen TVs, bicycles, PlayStations, games, consoles, jewellery including watches, car radios, cellphones and toy guns.
At the back of the house, police raided a shack where gaming machines were found. The owner was charged for being in possession of property believed to be stolen and in violation of the Gambling Act.
Drug runners and prostitutes found in another garage nearby were fingerprinted and photographed for further investigation or possible links to other crimes.
Police also swooped on a third target in the Crossmoor area.
The seized items can be viewed at Chatsworth police station. Burglary victims must have proof of ownership and a case number.
At midday on Tuesday, four men were seen in Railway Road, Bellair, alighting from a bakkie. They broke the driveway gate of a home and drove the bakkie in.
The Neighbourhood Watch knew the family were not home and called the police.
Police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, said the men attempted to flee while shooting at the police. Police retaliated and one suspect was shot in the leg. He was arrested with two other suspects. A fourth suspect managed to escape.
“Police seized the bakkie which was loaded with stolen goods from the house.
“The arrested suspects aged between 26 and 35 will be charged with housebreaking and attempted murder. They will appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court soon,” Zwane said.
Daily News
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