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Police in KwaMashu are pleading with community members to be aware of criminals who are impersonating police officers. This emanates from a number house robbery cases which were reported at the station, where a similar modus operandi was used by what is believed to be the same syndicate operating.
Meanwhile, the information received by the police indicates that two to four males will enter premises announcing themselves as police or detectives who are looking for firearms. The suspects usually wear different pieces of police uniform such as a bulletproof vest, a police cap, musk or rain coat. Once they are inside the premises they will point the occupants with firearms, whilst others ransack the house before they flee. .
In a recent case, a 36-year-old woman was at her house at J-Section, when she was accosted by two males who introduced themselves as detectives who were looking for firearms. She was pointed with firearms and forced to open all the rooms of her house before they were all locked in the master bedroom. Four cellphones and cash were taken before the fled the scene.
We urge members of the community to be more cautious whenever there are people who come to their premises and introduce themselves as police officers. They must request to see appointment certificates before letting them inside or call the nearest police station to verify the credibility of those who introduces themselves as police officers.
Identification of a police official
In order to see if a police official is wearing a name tag you have to be close to him or her which means that you are in a one to one situation with the official. If he or she is not wearing a name tag you cannot just ignore them but you have the right to ask the official to identify him or herself by showing their appointment card, which must be carried by each and every police official, even the personnel appointed under the Public Service Act in the South African Police Service carries distinct appointment cards which are issued to them. If the official refuse to identify him or herself by showing their appointment card you can demand that you wish to speak or be approached by the official's supervisor or commander.
Furthermore you must remember that if you feel unsafe for instance when followed and instructed by an apparent police official whilst driving, you can drive to the nearest police station in order to make sure that it is a bona fide police official that instructed you to pull over.
Remember that police officials attached to the detectives in the South African Police Service are working in normal private clothes and do not wear name tags. If you are approached by an official claiming to be a detective you must always ask him or her to identify themselves by presenting his or her appointment card.