Police turn attention to jewellery store crimes

(Image: GCIS)

In a Parliamentary reply on Monday, the minister detailed measures in place to curb these crimes.

"A number of strategies were developed to address this crime, which includes high visibility in identified hot spot areas, intensified police actions to squeeze the space for criminals, and operations are conducted on a weekly basis by clusters and stations.

"Jewellery stores are policed by visible policing in their normal policing duties as well. Business forums have also been established at high risk shopping malls," he said.

Criminals were now opting to clone bank cards to withdraw huge amounts of cash from accounts or purchase expensive items, he noted.

Police had arrested a number of suspects and seized devices used to clone bank cards.

"As a result, these activities are declining. The last trend that has been identified is robberies of citizens after withdrawing large amounts of cash from the bank. They are followed by the criminals and robbed.

"Strategies are now also implemented to address this new trend and these incidents are being investigated by Organised Crime units through a task team approach," he said.

Meanwhile, the minister stressed that internal disciplinary measures were being implemented to discipline SAPS officials who broke the law.

Mthethwa said 150 members were currently on suspension, and these ranged from constables to lieutenant generals.

Some charges they face include theft, corruption, murder, malicious damage to property, reckless and negligent driving, and possession of stolen goods.

The minister also alluded to the failure by some police stations to forward complaints to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on time and to assist the IPID in fulfilling its constitutional mandate as police watchdog.

"In terms of IPID Act, the station commander must, immediately after becoming aware, notify the Directorate of any matters referred to in section and within 24 hours thereafter. Any police officer who fails to comply with this Act is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years," he added.

In the first quarter of the 2012/13 financial year, the IPID recorded 49 cases that were either reported late or not at all.

In terms of the provisions of section 33 of the Act, the IPID opened 38 cases against the members that failed to comply with the provisions of the section.