28 Nov 2021

Officer Commanding District No. 16, Senior Superintendent Reuben Mphoeng has expressed concern about the upsurge in criminal activities, especially in Mahalapye.

Giving a brief update on the level of crimes committed in his policing area, during the ongoing Mahalapye Sub-Council meeting, Senior Supt Mphoeng said the cases included property crime, offences against persons, offences against morality and traffic offences.

He said they recorded 42 cases of burglary and theft, 138 of house breaking, 29 of store breaking, 23 of robbery and attempt, 125 of stock theft and one case of motor vehicle theft, between January and September 2021.

Senior Supt Mphoeng said during the same period last year, police recorded 32 cases of burglary and theft, 158 of house breaking, 49 of store breaking, 23 of robbery and attempt, 181 of stock theft and no motor vehicle theft case.

Despite this, he expressed delight that police managed to arrest 15 crime kingpins aged between 20 and 47 years, adding that the majority were from Mahalapye and Shoshong.

The police chief also expressed concern over an increase in the number of stock theft cases in Machaneng and thus encouraged farmers to mark their livestock for easy identification.

He revealed that in 2020, police recovered about 100 goats from thieves and most of them were never claimed, due to failure to prove ownership.

This year, in Machaneng, he said police recorded nine cases of stock theft, with 30 goats and one sheep stolen and were still under investigation. Senior Supt Mphoeng said police had also recorded an increase in offences against morality, being 108 cases of rape and attempt, as well as 92 of defilement, compared to 94 cases of rape and attempt and 70 of defilement in 2020.

He also lamented the increase in cases of offences against persons, saying that between October and November 2021, police had already recorded nine cases of murder.

He said in 2021, 553 road accidents were recorded, with 19 fatal crashes and 28 fatalities, compared to 454 road accidents, with 13 fatal crashes and 15 fatalities in 2020. Ends