Latest news with #VanDyk
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Police sweep Rietgat, Soshanguve in major crime bust
Police in the Tshwane metro arrested more than 300 suspects for various crimes over the weekend. The high-density operation ran from July 19, aimed at increasing police visibility with continued actions by addressing crime in Tshwane, focused on the Rietgat and Soshanguve policing precincts. The multidisciplinary operation was led by the District Commissioner of Tshwane, Major-General Samuel Thine. It comprised different stakeholders, including SAPS, the Department of Home Affairs, National Traffic Police, TMPD, Gauteng Traffic police and wardens, the Department of Community Safety and representatives of the local CPF. Police spokesperson Johan van Dyk stated that the combined effort resulted in the arrest of 343 suspects for various criminal offences. 'These results are a direct outcome of planning, strategic deployments and heightened visibility aimed at reducing crime and continued track and tracing of wanted suspects,' he said. Van Dyk said detective teams were responsible for the arrest of more than 200 suspects on Saturday night alone. 'Tshwane District detectives executed the first phase of the operation and were responsible for 254 arrests. These included 70 suspects for gender-based violence-related offences, 4 for murder, 3 for attempted murder, 9 for armed robbery, 1 for impersonating a police officer, 27 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and 6 for rape.' A roadblock was set up in Soshanguve, and two operational teams were deployed in the policing areas, resulting in the detention of 29 undocumented foreign nationals. They are currently being processed by immigration authorities for deportation. Van Dyk said that during the operation, 926 individuals and 418 vehicles were searched, adding that '27 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.' He said crime hotspots that were raided led to the arrest of more suspects. 'Targeted patrols were conducted at 21 identified crime hotspots, leading to further arrests, including 19 persons for public drinking and 4 suspects for possession of drugs when several bags containing crystal meth were found in their possession.' Traffic enforcement units issued 57 Aarto infringement notices, totalling R76 000 in fines. Van Dyk said 16 spaza shops were inspected, with 22 liquor compliance inspections being carried out at various establishments, resulting in six being closed. He said that alcohol and two gambling machines were confiscated. Major-General Thine commended all participating stakeholders for their continued co-operation. Thine also thanked the citizens of Tshwane for their words of encouragement and support. He assured the residents and emphasised that disruptive crime-combatting operations will continue across Tshwane. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicious activities to SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS App. ALSO READ: Local farmers market remains popular in Pretoria Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
30-06-2025
- The Citizen
Keep your children safe during winter school holidays
School holidays are a time for children to take a break from their daily routines and spend quality time with family and friends. Adolescents also start exploring their independence and freedom. As thousands of South African children prepare to go on a winter school break from June 27 to July 22, parents and guardians are urged to prioritise their children's safety. Police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk warns that holiday periods often see an increase in crimes involving children, particularly when they are left alone. 'Parents must make sure that an adult is present at all times or children are left under trustworthy supervision,' he said. Van Dyk also expressed some concerns, which can make children easy targets for robbers. 'Children walk with their cellphones and electronic equipment exposed in public, which enhances the possibility of being robbed. 'They are also tricked by criminals asking for assistance with their cellphones', only for their phones to be stolen. 'Social media platforms also pose a threat from strangers whereby they are befriended and asked to meet at a place and are abducted or raped,' said Van Dyk. To reduce these incidents, he highlighted crime prevention operations and patrols that are being executed daily in all of the Tshwane policing areas. 'There are ongoing awareness campaigns executed on a weekly basis at schools where police interact with the children on various topics such as drugs, gang-related topics, personal safety tips, bullying and social media awareness and safety measures.' He said CPFs play an integrated part within the communities with patrols and information gathering to keep children safe during the holidays. Van Dyk advised parents to always know where their children are and where they are going at all times. 'Make sure who their friends are and which social media platforms they make use of. Any uncertainty, they can visit their closest SAPS station to assist or report it by contacting 0800 10111 or download the SAPS app and share information there,' he said. The Department of Basic Education advised parents to prioritise their children's safety by adhering to the following guidelines: – Children must avoid talking to strangers, especially when you're not around. – Teach your children to always tell you if they have been approached by a stranger, and never keep secrets. – If your child needs a lift, tell them only to get lifts with friends, and to get out when they feel uncomfortable. – If your child gets lost, they should ask for help from a police officer, another grown-up with children or someone working at a nearby shop. – Have your children learn and know their address and telephone number by heart. – Try to keep your children within your sight or another adult whom you trust. – When out and about visiting places, always arrange a meeting point for you and your child, in case either of you gets separated and lost. – Make sure you all travel together or have seats close together on a bus or taxi. – Always accompany your child to public toilets. – Stick to busy, well-lit roads, and avoid shortcuts through alleyways. – If your child thinks someone is following them, they should cross the road or go to a place with lots of people around, like a bus stop or shop. – Encourage your child to speak up if they are being bullied or feel they might be in danger. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
29-06-2025
- The Citizen
Police nab 343 suspects in Tshwane
Police were out in full force in Tshwane this weekend targeting the rural precincts of Cullinan and Boschkop. Captain Johan Van Dyk said the police in Tshwane were continuing to tackle the disruptive crime operations with Operation Shanela. 'This planned intervention is aimed at continued actions by addressing crime in Tshwane,' said Van Dyk. He added that the crime interventions resulted in the arrest of 343 suspects for various criminal offences. He continued, 'These results are a direct outcome of planning, strategic deployments and heightened visibility aimed at reducing crime and continued tracking and tracing of wanted suspects.' He said through the strategic deployments, detectives were responsible for 274 arrests, including 82 suspects for gender-based violence-related offences, one for murder, six for attempted murder, eight for armed robbery, 26 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and 10 for rape. He said a roadblock with two operational teams was deployed in the Cullinan and Boschkop areas, resulting in 906 individuals and 450 vehicles being searched. He said 13 suspects were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, while 22 undocumented foreign nationals were detained. According to Van Dyk, 'The undocumented foreign nationals are currently being processed by immigration authorities.' 'Targeted patrols were conducted at 18 identified crime hotspots, leading to further arrests and the issuing of fines, including 20 persons for public drinking with eight persons for being intoxicated in public.' He said traffic enforcement units issued 16 AARTO infringement notices, totalling R7 250 in fines. 'Liquor compliance inspections were carried out at 15 establishments, resulting in four being closed for non-compliance. A total of 724,145 ml of alcohol and two music sound systems were confiscated.' Van Dyk said the operation was executed by the District Commissioner of Tshwane, Major-General Samuel Thine, the Department of Home Affairs, Tshwane Metro Police Department, Gauteng Traffic Police, Gauteng Traffic Wardens, and representatives of the local Community Policing Forum. He further encouraged members of the public to report suspicious activities to SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or via the My SAPS App. ALSO READ: Drug hotspots, dark streets, absent police top Tileba concerns Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
22-06-2025
- The Citizen
Mooiplaats home invasion ends in fatal shooting
A home invasion in Mooiplaats, East of Pretoria, on Friday, June 20, culminated in a shooting between security guards and suspects. According to police spokesperson Johan van Dyk, the events began when a resident heard his dogs barking outside and went to investigate at around 21:30. 'The man was approached by five adult African men armed with pangas,' Van Dyk stated. The men then attacked the victim. 'The suspects also forced entry into the homes of other tenants, attacking them and robbing them of a television and a cell phone. The suspects then fled the scene on foot.' While police did not disclose the extent of the victims' injuries, social media posts suggested they were severe. According to Van Dyk, private security in the area tracked the suspects into nearby bushes. 'Seeing that they were surrounded, the suspects allegedly attacked the security guards with the pangas. The guards retaliated, shooting two of the suspects. One died at the scene, while the other was rushed to a nearby hospital.' Van Dyk confirmed that police are investigating a case of house robbery, murder, possession of stolen property, and possession of house break-in tools. ALSO READ: Pretoria's Operation Shanela: 297 arrested in major crime crackdown Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- The Citizen
261 arrested in Tshwane crime crackdown
A total of 261 suspects have been arrested in a sweeping, high-impact crime-combating initiative led by police under the banner of Operation Shanela in the Tshwane District. The multidisciplinary operation, which focused on the Sinoville and Villieria policing precincts, was spearheaded by Tshwane District Commissioner Major-General Samuel Thine in collaboration with various law enforcement partners. The co-ordinated effort, executed on June 19, forms part of ongoing SAPS strategies to curb crime and enhance visibility in known hotspots. With intensified patrols, compliance inspections, and suspect tracing, law enforcement officers targeted criminal elements plaguing the northern parts of Tshwane. Police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk said the operation yielded significant results. He said of the 261 suspects arrested, 187 were apprehended through detective work. These arrests include seven suspects for murder, three for attempted murder, nine for armed robbery, 30 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and six for rape. Van Dyk said road safety and immigration compliance were also in focus. A major roadblock, executed with support from tactical teams, led to the detention of 63 undocumented foreign nationals. The individuals are currently undergoing processing for possible court appearances and deportation. 'As part of proactive enforcement, 682 individuals and 306 vehicles were searched during the operation, with ownership of 14 vehicles verified. Officers also conducted patrols across 35 high-crime areas and premises, resulting in multiple arrests. 'One suspect was arrested for possession and dealing in dagga. Police recovered a shopping bag full of dagga, two compressed dagga balls, and 28 small bags of dagga, along with an undisclosed amount of cash,' said Van Dyk. He said another individual was taken into custody for possession of suspected stolen property. The suspect was found in possession of three TV sets, seven cellphones, two tablets, and two watches. He failed to provide a plausible explanation for the goods. Traffic law enforcement also formed a critical pillar of the operation. Tshwane traffic officers issued 160 AARTO infringement notices amounting to R72 600. Seven minibus taxis were impounded for various violations of the Road Traffic Act, and five pedestrians were fined for creating dangerous circumstances on the roads. Six premises were inspected, and two were shut down for failing to comply with the Liquor Act. Police confiscated over 127 litres of alcohol during the crackdown. Major-General Thine expressed appreciation for the dedication and co-operation of all SAPS members and stakeholders who participated in the operation. 'The collective efforts of our law enforcement family continue to bring tangible results in our fight against crime,' he said. ALSO READ: Collect your June SASSA grants from tomorrow Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
