The crime prevention team comprising Sergeant Vusumuzi Mpila, Sergeant Lindiwe Mkhonto, Constable Mankweng Motloutsi and Constable Mercy Pule continues to squeeze crime to zero in Bethal policing precinct.
In the early hours of Wednesday 7 August 2024, the team was officially on duty performing crime prevention duties within Bethal policing area when they noticed a Ford ranger vehicle parked along the street with a man in it. The police stopped and asked the man if they could be of assistance.
The man informed the police that he parked his vehicle on a busy street next to Bethal Mall where he fell asleep. While sleeping, he was awakened by noises from the street with the passenger’s door opened. As soon as he woke up, he noticed three men where one of the men was searching him.
He further told the police that he had a firearm, a 9mm Taurus pistol containing seven live ammunition which was stolen by the suspects in the car.
The description of the suspects was given to the police by the victim and police promptly conducted a preliminary investigation using the description given. They then received information about the whereabouts of the suspects which they followed up on.
Upon following the information, they found two men in a house where the victim positively identified them and through the skills and knowledge of handling suspects, the police managed to recover the stolen firearm and ammunition with other items stolen from the victim.
Police then arrested two of the suspects for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Upon arresting them, they informed the police about the third suspect whereby the police went to look for him and found him with stolen property. He was then arrested for possession of stolen property meanwhile, the victim was charged with the negligence handling of a firearm.
The suspects, Njabulo Mahlangu(20) and Musawenkosi Sibanyoni(29) made their first appearance before Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 7 August facing charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition while Patrick Nhleko(31) appeared for possession of stolen property and both matters were postponed to 14 August 2024 pending investigations and for formal bail application.
