In a scene that could be straight out of a thriller, a man bursts into the Newcastle South African Police Service (SAPS) charge office, gripped by sheer panic. He and a friend had just been violently attacked, assaulted, and robbed by a gang of five men prowling the streets of Jordan Street in the Newcastle CBD. Adding to the terror, the shaken man reported that his friend had been stabbed during the assault and was lying on the ground, gravely injured.
According to the SAPS, the event unfolded on Saturday, 10 August 2024, after the two unsuspecting men set out to run errands in town, never imagining they would be ambushed by a group of men.
After the distraught man sprinted into the station, desperately pleading for help, the Newcastle SAPS Drug Task Team, Newcastle SAPS Stabilisation Unit, Newcastle Crime Fighter Task Team, and the Community Crime Prevention Association (CCPA) sprang into action. They immediately rushed to assist the fallen victim and track down the assailants.
However, upon law enforcement’s arrival at the scene, the injured man was nowhere to be found. In a stroke of luck, the man who had rushed to the SAPS station was driving with the law enforcement team when he spotted his friend walking down Hospital Street. Contrary to his worst fears, his friend had not been stabbed but had been badly assaulted. The injured man was quickly placed into one of the police vehicles, and the hunt for the suspects began in earnest. Fortunately, the victim had caught a glimpse of the direction in which the attackers had fled.
In a dramatic turn of events, the law enforcement team tracked the five suspects to the Siyahlahla Informal Settlement.
“The suspects were tracked down within minutes, with the victims pointing the men out. They were arrested for robbery with a weapon and for assault GBH,” explained Newcastle Crime Fighter Task Team member, Imran Ghafoor.
As police continue to investigate the attack, Newcastle SAPS Spokesperson Lizzy Arumugam issued a stern warning to residents to exercise greater caution when venturing into the CBD, particularly on foot. Arumugam stressed the importance of being vigilant and conscious of criminal activities, noting that opportunistic crime is an ever-present threat.
She urged the public to stay alert to suspicious vehicles or individuals and to trust their instincts. “Also, know all emergency numbers and avoid displaying valuables where criminals can potentially see them,” she advised.
As law enforcement delves deeper into this shocking incident, the question now arises: How safe do you feel in the Newcastle CBD? Do you believe crime has reached alarming levels in Newcastle’s Central Business District? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Comments 2
I do believe crime has reached an alarming rate. These criminals target people without any care. Relieved that these criminals are off the streets. But these days you even need eyes behind your back sides and every other corner.
Hence I am mostly out of CBD area. The truth is. Most of the time you will only realize you are in danger once it’s already happening. And we need to change that. It’s just not safe anymore. Happy all the units jumped to action and caught the thieves. As they clearly are dangerous with only one goal. Rob steal and harm people. Truth is it’s evident need patrols around all busy spaces in and around the CBD. Malls. As most of us want to do what we need to and return home safely to our families that rely on us.
Police Visibility Very Crucial.