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- A Stuijt
- Retired South African medical journalist, ex-Sunday Times of Johannesburg.
Praise for cops who risk their lives each day...
09:01 | 
Posted by
A Stuijt |
- Capt Arthur Minnaar set up a victim support room and a soup kitchen for the homeless in Mowbray...
- Unarmed Goodwood inspector Wayne Theunis arrests three armed robbers...
- Limpopo rape victim, 71, gets attackers arrested after biting a piece off one’s tongue...
Captain Arthur Minnaar is a ‘Big Policeman with a tiny heart…’
June 1 2009 – Left. The hard work, commitment and willingness to serve the community brought civic honour to Cape Town Police Captain Arthur Minnaar of Green Point police station, (right) who was awarded by the city council this week.
The City of Cape Town bestowed a Civic Honour on Capt Minnaar pictured here with his wife Pam and son Reagan. At the moment, he's on duty at the Marketing and Exhibitions section of the Provincial Communications section of the SA Police Service in the Western Cape.
At a glittering function held at the Protea Sub-council building in Constantia on Tuesday, 26 May 2009, city councillor Owen Kinahan handed over the prestigious, framed Certificate of Recognition award to Capt Minnaar. Apart from Capt Minnaar, several other people also received the the same accolade.
Capt Minnaar’s wife Pam and son Reagan were all smiles as he went to the front to receive the award and flowers.
Among the honoured invited guests was the Mowbray Community Police Forum Chairman Jonathan Hobday and his wife Carol.
Addressing the large audience, Cllr Kinahan said: "Inspector (Capt) Arthur Minnaar served the Mowbray and Rosebank community for almost a decade as the police station’s community liaison officer (Mowbray). "He was a dedicated and hard-working officer with a special flair for dealing with people.
"When I first came across him as a councillor, I recall a local character saying: ‘Jy weet - hy’s n’ groot polisieman but sy hart is net so klein’. (He's a big policeman, but his heart is just very tiny).
"He was the secretary of the Community Policing Forum and handled its day-to-day administration, calling meetings, providing minutes and keeping in touch with all sectors of the community."
Cllr Kinahan said that Capt Minnaar played a key role in the opening of the Victim Support Room at Mowbray Police Station, dealt with homelessness by running a weekly soup kitchen and compiling a register of all the street people in te area.
On 13 January 2009 Capt Minnaar notched up 25 years service in the SAPS and on 1 March 2009 he was promoted from the rank of Inspector to Captain.
Cllr Kinahan said: "Arthur’s reward, but our loss, is his promotion to Captain and a transfer to Special Duties in the Provincial Office.
"A further reward is the Civic Honour presented today to mark his service to the community and the city."
Story and picture by superintendent Norman Joseph, tel. (021) 4177100, cell 0827776004 email: josephn@saps.org.za http://www.sapsjournalonline.gov.za/dynamic/journal_dynamic.aspx?pageid=414&jid=15457
Unarmed Insp Wayne Theunis arrests 3 of 5 armed robbers in Goodwood
May 29 2009 – GOODWOOD. Meanwhile in neighbouring Goodwood, communications officer Wayne Theunis, placed his life on the line when he arrested three of five armed suspects who had just robbed a man at gunpoint on May 4 2009.
- Theunis could have been shot -- a firearm had dropped to the ground as the five suspects emerged from a vehicle.
Inspector Theunis was driving down Vasco Boulevard in Goodwood that morning at 12:45, and saw an occupant in a bronze Honda Ballada waving about with his arms as if calling for help; at the intersection of Jameson Street.
He also saw how two of the car's other five occupants tried to push this man down. The inspector managed to pull over the car. The complainant who had waved for help then jumped out, telling Insp Theunis that he had been robbed at gunpoint of the personal belongings which were inside the Honda Ballade. The suspects also jumped out of the vehicle to flee - and a 9mm pistol fell to the ground.
- "Insp Theunis, unarmed and alone, managed to arrest and hold three suspects onto the ground until help from more police vehicles arrived. Two other suspects ran away," said superintendent Norman Joseph.
The three suspects - from Goodwood and Hanover Park - applied for bail, but this was denied on the grounds that other cases were being probed against them.They were charged with armed robbery and possessing an unlicensed firearm. Bail was denied for the three suspects in the Goodwood Magistrates’ Court on 25 May 2009 because they are under investigation for other crimes. Tel (021) 4177100 Cell: 0827776004 Email: josephn@saps.org.za
http://www.sapsjournalonline.gov.za/dynamic/journal_dynamic.aspx?pageid=414&jid=15459
Limpopo rape victim, 71, bites off one of her two attackers' tongue: police arrests him in hospital...
DENNILTON, LIMPOPO -- Meanwhile in Limpopo in the town of Dennilton, a remarkable 71-year-old woman managed to get her two rapists arrested after biting off a piece of one of her attackers' tongues.
- The suspects, aged 35 and 26, had broken into the old lady's house and raped her. She was sleeping when the two 'men' had forced open the door. Police superintendent P.S. Otto says they threatened and raped her. "However during the process this brave woman managed to bite off a piece of tongue of one of the suspects. She then reported the matter to the police."
Police decided to drop by the local Philadelphia Hospital in Dennilton shortly thereafter -- and found the 26-year-old suspect receiving treatment for his injuries. "He was arrested and is still in hospital under police guard. Police followed up information about the second suspect and he was also arrested. They are due to appear in court soon."
Deputy Provincial Commissioner Ntlemeza praised the woman for her bravery. He said ‘it was the police's commitment to protect and serve women and children, especially the vulnerable aged."
"Suspects who commit crimes against defenceless women and children will be ruthlessly pursued and arrested. They will also face the full might of the law when they appear in court as the police will do everything in their power to oppose bail and keep them behind bars..."Story reported by police superintendent P S Otto, tel. (015) 290 6205, cellphone: 082 451 7176, email: lim.prov.comm@saps.org.za http://www.sapsjournalonline.gov.za/dynamic/journal_dynamic.aspx?pageid=414&jid=15468
Sarah Lund abducted in Constantia – cops arrest three kidnappers in shootout
May 30 2009 DELFT, WESTERN CAPE. Three men seeking ransom after an abduction of a woman were arrested near Delft in the Western Cape on Saturday, police said. The trio abducted Mrs Sarah Lund on Wednesday at a supermarket in upmarket Constantia and demanded R200,000 ($20,000) ransom from her family, said Captain Frederick van Wyk.
"Her family informed the police and members of the organised crime unit went to meet the men at Hindle road near Delft on Saturday morning. They handed the money over to the suspects and a shooting ensued soon after Mrs Lund was released," said Van Wyk.
Two of the men fled the scene and one was arrested. The other two were later found hiding amongst reeds. Lund was receiving trauma counselling and debriefing by police. Van Wyk said further investigations were being conducted. The trio will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Monday on chargers of abduction. Van Wyk said more charges might be added. http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2524691,00.html .
SAPA also reports on June 1 from Athlone in the Western Cape that five people who were held hostage have also been rescued by the local police.
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Profile of ‘residential robberies’ in South Africa
Below are extracts from research done on residential robberies and interviews with arrested/convicted robbers in 2009 by Dr. Rudolph Zinn rzinn@unisa.ac.za from UNISA’s School of Criminal Justice. http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=19350
ROBBERIES IN 2009, RESEARCH BY DR RUDOLPH ZINN, UNISA SCHOOL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE:
* House robberies have increased by 13.5% in the past year.
* Of the almost 15,000 residential robberies committed in 2008, 50% took place in Gauteng province.
* Average age of a house robber is 19 - 26 years.
* Average of 30% of all house robbers have committed murder or are willing to commit murder.
* 17% of house robbers are foreigners.
* 90% of arrested robbers had no matric (grade 12) or were unemployed.
* The 10% who were employed gave up their jobs when confirming how much they could make from a robbery.
* Most victims/targets are affluent persons who openly display their wealth, i.e. expensive cars, jewellery, upmarket homes.
* A lot of the operating methods (MO) revolve around gathering intelligence about the target home and residents, i.e. inside information from domestic workers.
* 8 out of 10 residential robberies are committed with the help of information from domestic workers, gardeners and former employees.
* They will monitor the home and movements for as long as is needed to formulate a plan of attack, sometimes up to 2 weeks.
* All gangs research and monitor the response times of armed response companies.
* Most attacks occur between 19h00 and 00h00 as people are relaxed, busy cooking or watching television and the security systems and beams are not activated.
* The biggest deterrent confirmed by robbers themselves are small dogs that are kept inside the home.
* Alarm systems and armed reaction services are not a deterrent.
* Electric fences, CCTV and detection beams do however deter robbers.
* An average of R5,000 in value is stolen during each robbery.
* Victims of house robberies are seriously injured in 2% of all incidents.
* 35% of robbers rob for “basic needs”- (hunger, poverty). 65% spent money on flash clothes, cars, houses.
* The average robber commits 103 robberies over 7 years before being caught.
* 97% of robbers are armed.
* Most attacks takes place 10 - 30 minutes drive from the attackers home or base.
* Women are more often tortured or hurt during house robberies.
* On average there are 4 members in an armed robbery gang.
* Conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is 7.67%; (in the USA it is 53%).
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