An 18-year-old appeared in the Strand Magistrates’ Court earlier this week accused of an assault on police officers, resisting arrest, escaping from lawful custody and theft.
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He was arrested on Sunday after allegedly assaulting two female officers at Broadlands Park in Strand.
According to police spokesperson André Traut, the suspect was wanted for robbery and was spotted by police. Following an attempt to arrest him, he assaulted the officers before fleeing with the assistance of residents.
Speaking to IOL, the Strand community policing forum (CPF) said the teenager was a known criminal in the area and had been tied to various serious crimes including attempted murder, aggravated robbery and other outstanding cases.
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The CPF spokesperson, Niklaas Thysen, said that the officers were investigating the teenager’s whereabouts when they were attacked, and one was robbed of her cellphone.
‘We want to urge the residents not to get involved or participate in criminal activities, especially while the men and women in blue are performing their respective duties, clearing our communities of well-known criminals who terrorise and cause havoc and fear,’ Thysen told IOL.
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‘What is more troubling is that some of the community members who were present on the night of the incident prevented the police from apprehending the suspect, which resulted in him escaping arrest.’
He added that the CPF, along with the safety and security of multiple stakeholders, aimed to make a huge impact to ensure that crime was brought under control in the area and that such acts from residents were counter-productive.
Traut confirmed that the teenager would remain in custody until his next court appearance next week.
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