Successful Spruit Patrol for Randburg Police Unit

[markStockton]

 

The Randburg Police Mountain Bike Patrol Unit completed two successful  

 

patrols of sections of the Braamfontein Spruit in the past week, in an  

 

effort to improve safety for users of the popular urban riverside  

 

trail in Johannesburg?s northern suburbs.

 

 

 

Following a spate of recent incidents where mountain bikers have been  

 

attacked and robbed of their bicycles and other equipment while using  

 

?The Spruit?, as the trail is commonly known, the Randburg Police have  

 

mobilised their mountain bike unit, under the command of Inspectors  

 

Hein Van Heerden and James Swann.

 

 

 

On Wednesday 22 October they did an exploratory afternoon patrol on  

 

The Spruit between Peter Place and the N1. Numerous individuals were  

 

questioned and searched and no arrests were made.

 

 

 

Then on Saturday 25 October a dawn patrol of the land adjacent to Main  

 

Road, Sloan Street and the N1, followed by a patrol on The Spruit from  

 

12th Avenue to Jan Smuts Avenue resulted in 13 arrests.

 

 

 

?Most of the arrests were illegal immigrants,? explained Inspector van  

 

Heerden. ?One guy we arrested was a suspect in an attempted armed  

 

robbery of a mountain biker we had encountered earlier who described  

 

his assailants to us. We need this mountain biker to contact us to  

 

give an official statement so that we can open a case.?

 

 

 

According to Inspector van Heerden, the patrols were a success and  

 

only the beginning of a sustained effort by the unit, which is a pilot  

 

project and a result of collaboration between local corporates,  

 

residents and the SAPS.

 

 

 

?Yes, a good result and a good start,? said Inspector van Heerden. ?It  

 

is very important for mountain bikers, or any users of the  

 

Braamfontein Spruit, who are assaulted or robbed to make a statement  

 

at either the Randburg Police Station or the Sandton Police Station.  

 

Even if it is only an attempted assault or robbery. This helps us  

 

build up a database from which to make more specific links and  

 

successful arrests.?

 

 

 

To report any incidents or to offer any useful information that could  

 

lead to improved safety on the Braamfontein Spruit and other public  

 

areas, contact Inspectors van Heerden or Swann on 011 4499000 or email info [at] randburgpolice [dot] co [dot] za

 

 

 

The Braamfontein Spruit trail runs through Randburg and Sandton and is  

 

popular among recreational mountain bikers who have recently been  

 

targeted by armed robbers.

 

 

 

Inspector James Swann  and Inspector Hein van Heerden have  

 

achieved early success in their efforts to use the Randburg Police  

 

Mountain Bike Patrol Unit to improve safety for users of the  

 

Braamfontein Spruit Trail.

markStockton2008-10-27 23:55:23

[singletrackmind]

Great news

[Tumbleweed]

nice one!

[garthzga]

Well done guys, Your efforts are really appreciated

[Dirty Twin]

Yay stick it to them. SAPS 1 Others 0 (13 Arrests)

[AndreZA]

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=35666

 

[Loon]

Are they doing a daily patrol?

 

Thanks guys for all your efforts.

Maybe one day we can start riding there alone again :-)

[markStockton]

 

Are they doing a daily patrol?

 

Thanks guys for all your efforts.

Maybe one day we can start riding there alone again :-)

 

Drop them a line. I read somewhere that they welcome people joining them on the patrols.

 

[shaunh]

Great News!!

Well done to these gentleman & the SAPS!

[steven]

It was great to see the Police on the spruit on Saterday morning and inspectors Hein and James have our support  from Coolheat and Shimano.

Well done guys its about time and we are here to help you.

 

regards steve meltzer

 

www.coolheat.co.za

 

 

[Rob22]

This is great news, well done. The spruit is an ideal place to ride and I appriciate the efforts of the Mountain Bike Patrol unit.

I hope another visit is planned by your unit.