By Kouthar Sambo
Delft community members beat and set alight five alleged perpetrators who were believed to be involved in numerous robberies, on Monday 02 January 2023.
The residents claim to have seen the suspects breaking into homes in Delft while another community member noted a break-in on Christmas Eve where a cell phone was stolen.
According to Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut, vigilantism will not be encouraged as community members who take the law into their own hands will be prosecuted as criminals.
“The alleged victims, aged between 25 and 36, were accused by the community of breaking into a house in the area and stealing a cellular telephone. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation and arrests are yet to be made,” he said.
Traut further added that another body was discovered on Tuesday by the police, resulting in the discovery of a fifth body in the area. Furthermore, the incident has been declared a murder and it is believed that the two are connected.
The chairperson of the Delft Community Policing Forum, Charles George, stated that the community was frustrated with the escalated crime in the area, which led to its members taking the law into their own hands.
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