It seems that not only are criminals targeting Laudium residents more and more, but that they are increasingly using the area as a hideout, after committing crimes in other areas.
Over the past few months a number of vehicles hijacked outside Laudium and at times even from other provinces, have been spotted in the area, causing further fear amongst residents, that if criminals see the area as a haven, it would ultimately result in crime in the area increasing even further.
This follows a recent incident whereby police received a tip-off from the community about a suspected stolen vehicle, seen on the streets of Laudium, the previous Sunday. Police responded swiftly to the information and soon a Toyota Fortuna, Silver Grey in colour with registration number CNH 841 NC with two occupants, was spotted on Himalaya Street, Laudium. When police approached the vehicle it sped off, resulting in a chase ending in Itireleng, where the vehicle crashed into a shop. Police arrested two suspects and also found a rifle, 5 cellphones and a knife in the stolen car (as previously reported on the Laudium Sun Facebook Page).
Ronald Ngope, a resident of Itireleng for 2 years, who is the owner of Maskokoe Tuck Shop, said that he is concerned about criminals coming into the area and also upset that his business premises was damaged in the course of the chase. He added “I was on my way back from Polokwane when I received a call from a customer, that the police were at my place and that a vehicle they were chasing went into my shop. I was devastated and I wanted to know what was going on. I called a friend, Jason Mphelo who also lives in Itireleng and who was an eye witness to the incident. He informed me that police told him that the Toyota Fortuna was stolen in the North West Province and was spotted on Himalaya Street in Laudium by police, after they got a tip-off. Jason told me that he heard from the police that they chased the stolen vehicle after the driver refused to stop and sped all the way to Bengal Street and into Itireleng, but the driver then lost control and crashed into my tuckshop. There was even a bullet hole in my wall.”
Another resident, Praven Thumba of Bengal Street, told the Laudium Sun that he saw the Fortuna speeding on Bengal Str, “The car was flying on Bengal Str and crashed into the tuck shop in Itireleng. Fortunately no one got killed in the chase, as these guys were driving so fast that they nearly crashed into oncoming cars. I heard that the thieves stole the vehicle in the North West, after throwing the owner out of her car and shooting her, after which she died. I heard later that only one thief was arrested as the other guy was a nyaope who was approached by the driver in the Laudium CBD to wash the stolen car. After the nyaope guy was done, he asked the driver for a lift and in that time the police started chasing the car, as it did not stop. So many wrong things are happening in Itireleng that we as neighbours in Laudium, are even afraid to go out of our homes. We hide behind our gates all the time. The police need to start patrolling this end side of Laudium, because we are so unsafe here.”
Sergeant Chokoe of the Laudium police confirmed to the Laudium Sun that a suspect had been arrested and that the Toyota, a rifle and 5 cell phones were confiscated.
