A spree of Beacon Bay burglaries may have been brought to an end when a high-speed police chase across East London caught suspected members of the metro’s most wanted gang of raiders.
Bail was denied on Monday to break-in accused trio Nkululeko Qongwa, 21, Sikhulule Mlalanje, 25 and Sindile Ntsaluba, 27, by East London magistrate Nazeem Joemath.
Police suspect the gang were targeting the homes of working professionals and pensioners, mostly in Beacon Bay but with other homes being hit around the city.
Beacon Bay was subjected to an overwhelming number of unsolved burglary cases between December and this month and investigators are trying to link the accused to these cases, said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana.
Tana said police suspected a syndicate gang had broken into more than 30 homes in the past nine weeks and made off with jewellery, cash and electronic appliances.
The gang travelling in a white Quantum was believed to have made off with goods valued at R50000 to R150000 per heist.
Their reign apparently ended on Saturday when they were spotted fleeing a home with its alarm blaring in Lark Crescent, Beacon Bay.
A neighbour got into his car and tailed the Quantum while calling the police and telling them where it was headed.
East London Flying Squad raced to the scene and, after a high-speed chase, cornered the suspects in a street near the East London Private Hospital.
Three suspects were arrested, said Tana.
Police also allegedly found two flat screen TVs, two laptops, artworks and clothing valued at R50000 in the minibus.
The items were allegedly stolen in two homes minutes apart from each other in Lark and Grace crescents, Beacon Bay, said Tana.
He said police had experienced the worst number of house break-ins in this month compared to previous years.
While Qongwa and Ntsaluba are facing similar charges of house break-ins and theft, Mlalanje is facing a charge of malicious damage to property for his alleged part in unlocking doors and windows.
“Keeping suspects behind bars means we see a drop in burglary incidents in our area,” Tana said.
Hartwig and Henderson Alarms general manager Ross Hartwig said: “There was a huge increase in break-ins. It was the worst Christmas we have ever experienced in terms of domestic robberies. — zwangam@ dispatch. co.za
Raid gang’s siege on suburb ends
Bail was denied on Monday to break-in accused trio Nkululeko Qongwa, 21, Sikhulule Mlalanje, 25 and Sindile Ntsaluba, 27, by East London magistrate Nazeem Joemath.
Police suspect the gang were targeting the homes of working professionals and pensioners, mostly in Beacon Bay but with other homes being hit around the city.
Beacon Bay was subjected to an overwhelming number of unsolved burglary cases between December and this month and investigators are trying to link the accused to these cases, said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana.
Tana said police suspected a syndicate gang had broken into more than 30 homes in the past nine weeks and made off with jewellery, cash and electronic appliances.
The gang travelling in a white Quantum was believed to have made off with goods valued at R50000 to R150000 per heist.
Their reign apparently ended on Saturday when they were spotted fleeing a home with its alarm blaring in Lark Crescent, Beacon Bay.
A neighbour got into his car and tailed the Quantum while calling the police and telling them where it was headed.
East London Flying Squad raced to the scene and, after a high-speed chase, cornered the suspects in a street near the East London Private Hospital.
Three suspects were arrested, said Tana.
Police also allegedly found two flat screen TVs, two laptops, artworks and clothing valued at R50000 in the minibus.
The items were allegedly stolen in two homes minutes apart from each other in Lark and Grace crescents, Beacon Bay, said Tana.
He said police had experienced the worst number of house break-ins in this month compared to previous years.
While Qongwa and Ntsaluba are facing similar charges of house break-ins and theft, Mlalanje is facing a charge of malicious damage to property for his alleged part in unlocking doors and windows.
“Keeping suspects behind bars means we see a drop in burglary incidents in our area,” Tana said.
Hartwig and Henderson Alarms general manager Ross Hartwig said: “There was a huge increase in break-ins. It was the worst Christmas we have ever experienced in terms of domestic robberies. — zwangam@ dispatch. co.za
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