Cele hails police for Midrand takedown operation
Police Minister, Bheki Cele has lauded the work of the men and women in blue for their crime-fighting efforts despite growing concerns about rampant crime across the country.
Cele’s comments come on the back of his portfolio recording staggering crime statistics between April and June this year.
Cele delivered the quarter 1 stats in Pretoria on Friday where he reported dramatic double-digit increases in murder, rape, and aggravated robberies.
Close to 50 cash-in-transit heists were also reported during this period.
“These figures show there were 27 more CITs heists compared to the previous reporting period. However, compared to the same period in 2019/2020, 8 more cases were recorded,” said Cele.
“It is clear that the thugs involved in CITs will stop at nothing to get what they want, including killing police officers and putting the lives of innocent people at risk,” he added.
Cele hailed the police for the use of intelligence shared resources to take down highly organised gangs.
This includes a takedown operation in Midrand earlier this year where police intercepted a CIT robbery.
In an exchange of fire with the culprits, 23 were arrested and 4 were fatally wounded.
Four stolen vehicles were recovered and several high-calibre firearms were found on the scene.
“In a separate incident, in Brakpan, police also pounced on a gang plotting a CIT robbery three weeks ago that resulted in the fatal shooting of a police officer,” he noted.
He vowed to ensure police are better equipped to fight crime.
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