OFTEN times when fun lovers get paid, they go to taverns to enjoy themselves.
But they sometimes get caught up in the excitement and end up falling victim to thugs, who reward themselves with the victims' cars and other valuables.
The police said these hijackings and burglaries are often experienced in the week before month end and the first week of the month. And these crimes are blamed on the increasing number of taverns in Duduza, Ekurhuleni.
ALSO READ | WATCH: Poor mum longs for death!
Duduza station commander Patrick Qangase said the area alone has more than 50 taverns. He said 51 taverns are recorded in their books and there are others that are mushrooming, which run on and off.
"Taverns are contributing to hijackings because some of the victims go to taverns with their cars and they end up being followed home where they are hijacked and their houses are robbed," he said.
Operation Shanela was held on Thursday, 14 March to eradicate some of these illegal taverns and to help Duduza Police Station in the fight against contact crimes and house robberies, which are a headache in the area.
The roadblock was also conducted on Nigel Road as part of the operation.
Major-General Anna Sithole of Ekurhulni district police said: "We stop and search cars to check if they are not stolen. We also check unlicenced firearms and stolen property among other things."
Sithole said more than 240 people have been arrested for various crimes since the start of the operation on Wednesday night, 13 March.
For more news and entertainment at the palm of your hand, follow our WhatsappChannel via this link:
