SAPS, farming community and Security Company bust gang of armed robbers, Club Marina, Ifafa: KZN
19 June 2013 SAPS statement: "Four armed robbers would have thought twice before robbing a defenseless woman in her office at Club Marina in Ifafa had they known how efficient the local police and their crime-fighting partners are. As soon as the Hibberdene SAPS was informed of the alleged robbery, members of the Port Shepstone and Umzinto K9 Units as well as the Port Shepstone Tactical Response (TRT) and Search and Rescue units were deployed as force multipliers to assist the Hibberdene SAPS track and arrest the suspects.
It is alleged that at 12:45 on Tuesday, 11 June, the 42-year-old victim was at work at Club Marina in Ifafa when four unknown men arrived at her office. They were amicable and gave her no cause to be suspicious of them when one of them requested the newspaper. While she was busy fetching the newspaper, the man drew a gun and demanded the safe keys. She informed him that the safe was unlocked. The suspects helped themselves to an undisclosed amount of money from the safe and an office drawer before strapping her hands and legs together with cable ties and gagging her with cellophane tape. The woman tried in vain to free herself and alert the security guard as the suspects fled in her vehicle, a Fiat Uno, with the stolen money.
She eventually managed to alert security officials of Magma Security who gave chase while she contacted the police. A number of local farmers joined in the search effectively boxing-in the suspects who had no alternative but to abandon the vehicle and seek cover in a sugarcane field . Meanwhile, a description of the stolen vehicle and the four suspects was circulated on the police internal communication system. Members of the Port Shepstone Search and Rescue unit who were working in the vicinity approached from the direction of the freeway. When police arrived at the scene, a tight cordon was formed, shutting off all possible chances of escape from the sugarcane field and dog handlers, Warrant Officer Paul Loubser of the Umzinto K9 Unit with patrol dog Wayne and Sergeant Desmond Theunissen, Constable Joe Cele and Constable Mark Banjo of the Port Shepstone K9 Unit with patrol dog Caesar, went in after them. W/O Loubser successfully tackled and arrested three of the suspects while Constable Banjo, Sergeant Theunissen and Constable Joe Cele tackled and arrested the fourth suspect who was found hiding in dense bushes bordering the river. Theunissen immediately handcuffed and escorted the suspect back to the police vehicle. Whilst tracking the spoor along the edge of the river bed and the bushes, dog handlers found a knife. A gun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition was subsequently recovered by members of the TRT, concealed in the same vicinity. The police were fortunate not to have suffered any casualties as the pistol had been cocked with a round in the chamber ready to be fired.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lt General Mmamonnye Ngobeni thanked the members for working diligently and expressed her appreciation for their loyalty and dedication. She was pleased with the successful arrests of the four armed robbers and the recovery of the weapons allegedly used in the robbery. “It is indeed heartening to see the farming community, the security company and the police working together to fight crime.
Such networking and partnering bodes well for the safety of our communities and our continued fight against crime. We encourage and welcome any NGO’s who are willing to be our partners in the fight against crime as long as we work within the confines of the law.”, said Lt General Mmamonnye Ngobeni who conveyed her gratitude and appreciation to the members of the farming community as well as the security officials for their assistance. “Together we can do more”.
SAPS rank: Captain
Surname & Initial: T. Zwane
Cellphone: 083 539 5726
http://www.sapsjournalonline.gov.za/dynamic/journal_dynamic.aspx?pageid=414&jid=47496
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