Undercover JMPD officers to patrol the N12 following rock-throwing incidents
9 October 2018
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) is going undercover to curb rock-throwing crimes along the N12 freeway.
JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said operations would begin immediately and would be led by undercover officers.
This follows reports of violent incidents along the N12 freeway between Lenasia and the N1 freeway.
Minnaar said a Lenasia motorist was killed recently after he lost control of his car and crashed after a rock hit his vehicle. There have also been reports of motorists being robbed of their belongings while others have been assaulted.
Armed criminals pounce on their victims after throwing rocks from a bridge to hit vehicles, causing them to stop, or cars are forced to stop when drivers come across the rocks on the road.
The attacks happen mainly at night.
"The incidents have been taking place for months now. Following a number of reports we have received we then decided to have undercover officers patrolling the area."
Minnaar added that the officers would be patrolling in unmarked vehicles to prevent them from being identified by the criminals.
The JMPD spokesperson declined to reveal the number of officers that would be going undercover, saying this would jeopardise operations.
