Guards robbed and killed at residential complexes

Honeydew Police are working around the clock to crack down a growing criminal trend of attacking security guards in private complexes. According to spokesperson of the station Warrant Officer Karen Jacobs there has been an increase of criminal attacks on security guards around the Northside precinct and police together with security companies are fighting this. Jacobs explained that each case is different and criminals are targeting residential complexes where they robbed guards their belongings before proceeding to commit house robberies and break-ins at those complexes.

Francois De Klerk of GP Protection group argued that criminals were targeting guards with the motive of taking their service pistols. On 24 March at around 2.40 am, one of their employees Derick Mapholi was shot dead in Wilgehewuel. “He was one of our supervisors and he was shot while doing visits to different spots. Five shots were fired at him of which two hit him fatally.”

The 9mm service pistol was the only they took from him. “They didn’t take his cellphone or wallet.” De Klerk said in the 10 years they’ve been in business, this was the first time that one of their guards died on duty.

In another incident, on 29 March at about 1.30 am in Quellerina, director of Bestsecure Security Okkie Nel was shot at while patrolling. He didn’t get any injuries but his vehicle was damaged as he exchanged fire with criminals who managed to get off.

Jacobs advised security companies to ensure that all guards are adequately equipped with panic buttons and radios. She added that guards must be extra vigilant and need to communicate with their companies on a regular basis. “If they [guards] don’t report in, companies must check to ensure that everything is in order.”

She also emphasised the importance of guards knowing the address of where they working at. “They must know the physical address of the complex, including the name of the complex and the physical address with the nearest corner.”

Details: Honeydew Police Station Operations Room 011-801-8613/14/15.