New robbery ploy on Cape Town’s N2

Cape Town - The City of Cape Town on Monday warned motorists travelling on the N2 highway to be aware of a new robbery ploy in which concrete blocks are placed in the road to force cars to a stop before motorists are robbed of their belongings.

Two traffic officers from the City’s Ghost Squad had been on their way home after participating in weekend operations that netted a total of 69 suspects between Cape Town Traffic Services and the City’s Metro Police Department.

“Just before midnight on Sunday, two City traffic officers attached to the Ghost Squad were driving along the N2 in the direction of Somerset West when they noticed a Toyota Tazz near the R300 off-ramp with its hazard lights on,” JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, said.

“The officers also spotted three men running towards the vehicle and, as they stopped to investigate, they heard screams coming from the vehicle.

The officers chased after the suspects and made a radio call for assistance from the South African Police Service, but the suspects disappeared between nearby structures.

“The officers then returned to assist the female motorist who reported that she had been assaulted and robbed of her handbag and cellphone. The motorist declined medical assistance and the officers changed her flat tyre so that she could proceed home.”

Smith said the officers then found three other vehicles on a nearby painted island – all with flat tyres – and provided assistance to the drivers.

“They also removed concrete blocks from the roadway, thought to have been placed there by the three suspects.

“I want to commend our officers for rendering assistance while on their way home. It is clear that the criminals responsible took advantage of the misty weather conditions we’ve been experiencing in recent days. Most drivers would struggle to see an obstacle placed in the road at night, but with the cover of mist it becomes even more difficult. I appeal to motorists to please be extra careful when driving at night. We have had numerous engagements with the Western Cape Government, the South African Police Service and the South African National Roads Agency Limited about safety on the N2 as it is evident that criminals will continue targeting motorists for as long as they think they can get away with it.

“From our side, we have tried to divert more resources to help patrol the road, but we have limited staff numbers and, of late, much of our time has been spent on the sustained land invasions as well as assisting with quelling gang violence,’ he said.

Elsewhere, Cape Town Traffic Services arrested eight motorists for reckless and negligent driving and two more for drunk driving during operations focusing on illegal drag-racing in Athlone and Ottery on Saturday.

They also issued more than 200 fines for various offences and suspended 10 vehicles for being unroadworthy.

Two of the motorists arrested for reckless and negligent driving were also charged with endangering the lives of a minors.

They were stopped with their wives and children in the car. One had a five-year-old child in the vehicle and the other had two children, aged four and eight. The latter was found to be more than double the legal alcohol limit and his wife was also under the influence of alcohol.

“These are the latest in a long list of examples of the recklessness that we have to deal with on our roads on a daily basis. I can only hope that the courts will hand down the maximum penalties to both of these drivers, but also other motorists who continue to behave recklessly. I would love nothing more than to be able to name and shame these perpetrators who think it is acceptable to put their children’s lives and the lives of other road users at risk in this manner, because the reality is that their crimes will more than likely go unnoticed and unheard of by their families and their communities.”

City Metro Police officers arrested a further 47 motorists on charges of drunk driving at various roadblocks and vehicle checkpoints across the metropole.

In addition, they arrested 10 suspects for possession of drugs and confiscated various quantities of tik, dagga and mandrax.

In one incident in Hanover Park on Sunday, members of the Metro Police Gang and Drug Task Team arrested a 29-year-old suspect affiliated to the Mongrels Gang at a drug den in Hanover Park when 101 packets of tik and smaller quantities of mandrax were confiscated.

Officers also arrested two murder suspects in Hanover Park (one wanted on two charges of murder) after following up on information received from members of the public.

ANA