Three Detained Following Burglary at Western Cape Police Base

In a scenario reminiscent of a notorious gang-related incident from nearly a quarter-century ago, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has made a breakthrough in a burglary case at the Public Order Police base in Faure, Western Cape. Three individuals - two men and a woman - were apprehended in connection with the theft of non-lethal ammunition and a gas canister launcher from the facility situated between Strand and Stellenbosch.

On August 12, 2024, the SAPS stumbled upon the aftermath of the break-in, where security measures had been compromised, leading to the theft of law enforcement equipment. Stun and smoke grenades were listed among the missing items, sourced from inside information within the police service.

The Western Cape police acknowledged, through a statement by spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut, that detectives from the local Kleinvlei precinct and the Anti-Gang Unit pooled resources to trace the perpetrators of the theft. Their first victory was the recovery of the gas canister launcher and part of the ammunition, found abandoned on Baden Powell Drive.

This collaborative police effort subsequently guided them to various addresses within Kleinvlei, where significant arrests took place and further ammunition was seized, though some remains unaccounted for. The suspects arrested are aged between 29 and 44 and will face multiple charges relating to housebreaking, theft, and possession of stolen property and unlicensed ammunition.

They are scheduled to appear at the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court, where judicial proceedings will commence.

This incident bears a haunting parallel to a similar burglary in 1998 at the same police base, which involved Rashied Staggie, the then-leader of the Hard Livings gang. The case unveiled police corruption and gang collusion and resulted in Staggie being sentenced to 13 years in prison for his crimes.

The locality where the recent arrests were made, Kleinvlei, is notorious for gang activities. It was previously exposed when the Western Cape High Court suggested that gang members had infiltrated local police ranks, a claim that has been under investigation following a directive by Parliament's police committee.

As South Africa grapples with the complex interplay of crime and law enforcement integrity, this latest incident at the Faure base not only dredges up historical cases but also highlights ongoing challenges in the fight against organized crime and corruption within the police force.