Weekly crime report: Operation Shanela leads to 828 arrests in FS!

The Free State police’s efforts to minimize crime in the province under operation Shanela yielded positive results after the effect of more than 800 arrests in a week.

According to the police spokesperson, sergeant Mahlomola Kareli, all five districts in this high-density, multi-disciplinary operation with intelligence-led information.

“We seized two firearms in Namahadi and Meloding during these operations,” added Kareli.

As part of building safer and productive communities, Operation Shanela made tackling drug abuse one of its top priorities. In the process, they arrested eight suspects for dealing in drugs and 50 for possession with the community’s help. The police seized a variety of drugs including, dagga, nyaope, mandrax, crystal meth and cocaine.

Furthermore, eight other suspects were arrested for robberies while 37 received bookings for possession of dangerous weapons.

GBV and assault incidents surfaced during operations the police arrested two suspects for rape and 125 suspects for assault.

“The Maokeng police station management held an informative Imbizo for the locals as part of the soft approach to crime prevention,” Kareli informs.

In Mangaung, Bloemfontein, the police recovered a vehicle stolen shortly after the incident and arrested five suspects. The operation effected 13 more arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol.

As one of the issues that have plagued the province, illegal immigration was clamped on too. Authorities arrested 66 individuals as a result.

“Crime combating operations have an enormous impact on stabilising our communities. We therefore added infrastructure damage to one of the province’s priorities,” said Kareli.

This led to the recovery of stolen copper cables and ensured arrests in FS. Arrests included the detaining of eight robbery suspects, 29 burglary suspects and 14 malicious damage to property bookings.

Police also arrested 351 suspects during tracing operations throughout the five districts.

They further conducted regular roadblocks, cordon and searches and high-visibility patrols. These included the involvement of the labour and home affairs departments as well as through traffic law enforcement.

105 more arrests came as a result of traffic violations and contraventions of the Second-hand Goods Act.

The provincial commissioner, lieutenant general Baile Motsoenyane, encouraged the police to continue putting the public’s interest first.

“We cannot win this battle without the communities involvement. We therefore thank the community of Maokeng for showing up at the Imbizo. The police will continue with the Shanela clean-up operation,” said Motswenyane.