Guns in Gabs

VICTOR MUYAKWABO
Staff Writer | Friday July 26, 2013 00:00

 

In a month that the commissioner of Police Keabetswe Makgophe is supposed to be enjoying the days marking his first anniversary as the top cop, he is instead being inundated with reports of shootouts involving criminals and his men. Makgophe said the recent spate of robberies are nothing new except that there is a worrisome trend where robbers are now increasingly becoming violent.He believed that the men and women in blue are up to the task as they have been able to thwart some heists before they could happen and assured the public that the police would continue their vigilance.'As you know BPS is not an armed organisation but if it comes to the crunch, I will give my officers whatever they require to fight crime,' said Makgophe.Tough words from the top cop but the last two weeks have been particularly busy for the police. Here is the litany:

*Armed robbers fire two shoots on the roof at Shell Filling Station at the bus rank before getting away with P18,000 in cash.

*Police open fire on four armed suspects, killing one, at the same Shell. The four suspects were being tracked from Shell Filling Station in the Main Mall, which they had tried to rob before proceeding to the one at the bus rank;

*Four armed men storm Nando's in the Central Business District in Gaborone, fire a shot and order everyone to lie down before getting away with cash amounting to P20,000;

*Three men armed with knifes enter a KFC outlet at Gaborone West and steal P2,000 after threatening employees;

*Residents of Bontleng in Gaborone are aroused by early morning gunshots and a police helicopter hovering over their homes, as security agents are involved in a high-speed car chase with suspected armed robbers. The chase comes to an end near the Bontleng shopping complex, where a suspicious white car finally surrendered to the security squad.

*A local radio station reports a shooting exchange between armed men and security agents in Gaborone's Extension 9 suburb, near a cabinet minister's home.

*Woodall police are involved in a high-speed car chase with occupants of a VW Jetta who had allegedly robbed a house in Lobatse. The chase ends in Otse behind Moeding College after gunshots are fired. Police crashed their vehicle onto a pole during the chase. The getaway car was abandoned and no one was arrested.