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28-08-2014, 06:43 #1
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Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
It was like an action movie as Hawks officers abseiled from a helicopter on Friday night while others used an armoured vehicle to ram the gates of a Sandton house where they believed illegal diamond dealers lived.
But it turned into farce when they realised they had barged into the wrong house. The elite policing unit is now facing a hefty lawsuit for damaging the property of a community policing forum member.
The traumatised home owner, Jennifer Peers, was at home with a nine-year-old girl and three-month-old baby when she heard the helicopters hovering over her house, followed by her dogs barking.
Seconds later, heavily armed police officers rammed through the property’s gate using an armoured vehicle and broke in the doors and windows.
Peers said on Monday that the police did not identify themselves or explain what they wanted. She said they broke her doors and windows and threatened to shoot her dogs if she did not lock them away.
“As a CPF member, I am very supportive of the police, but there are no words I can use to explain the horror we went through,” she said, before referring The New Age to her lawyer, Gillian Olsen, who is dealing with the matter. Olsen said that her client was still in shock.
“They were not sure if this was the police. They did not explain who they were or what they were doing there. There is extensive damage to the property and my client and the employees are now undergoing trauma counselling,” she said.
Hawks spokesperson Paul Ramoloko promised to comment on the incident after gathering information, but did not come back with a response.
The damage to the property included a broken electric fence and damage to eight glass doors, windows, and several door frames.
“There was a nine-year-old daughter, as well as a three-month-old baby near one of the broken windows. “The girl ran into a cupboard and hid with her teddy bear. Even after the police left, the young girl was too afraid to come out,” the lawyer said.
Olsen said the Hawks used a heavy-handed approach that was unnecessary, especially without verifying their information.
“If they had arrived at the property, identified themselves and then explained what they wanted, my client would have opened for them,” she said.
Olsen said the officers searched the property and left without taking anything from the house or arresting anyone.
“They left my client with damage that compromised the family’s safety,” she said. Olsen also questioned the search warrant, which she described as being illegal.
“The warrant of search seems illegal and vague. It does not say what they wanted and what my client’s involvement in the case was,” Olsen said, adding that the cost of the damage was still being quantified.
The New Age understands that the raid was part of the Hawks’ ongoing investigation into the illicit diamond trade. Dubbed operation Darling, the Hawks have nailed at least 27 suspected dealers in Kimberley, Gauteng, North West, Free State and Northern Cape.
abramm@thenewage.co.za
http://www.thenewage.co.za/136018-10...id_wrong_house
http://citizen.co.za/234620/hawks-de...ng-house-raid/
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28-08-2014, 06:53 #2
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- May 2009
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- Johannesburg
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
A play from the no-knock warrant book.
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28-08-2014, 06:56 #3
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- Nov 2012
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- harties...If you are reading this, thank a teacher. Since its in English, thank a soldier.
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
sadly one day this sort of thing is going to lead to a real tragedy when they attack the wrong innocent home-owner and they protect their family
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28-08-2014, 07:02 #4
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- Durban KZN
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
And so it begins here. The US has been putting up with this shit from the ATF and DEA for ages.
Even if they were at the right house, would that level of force be reasonable for suspected diamond smugglers?
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28-08-2014, 07:12 #5
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- Apr 2014
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28-08-2014, 07:14 #6
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- Jul 2014
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
The entry tactics seem overblown as well. But I guess if you're trained to rappel out of a chopper you look for opportunities to use that exciting skill in the field. The sad thing is they actually do a lot of good work, and one incident like this can make the public think they're a bunch of cowboys (or GV's, as I see we say here)
Does anyone know if this would be their own dedicated unit, or do they use SAPS personnel?
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28-08-2014, 07:23 #7
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- Apr 2014
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- 37
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28-08-2014, 07:54 #8
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- Feb 2013
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- GP
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
If they were at the right house we would all be happy. But they weren't!
I find it interesting and concerning that with every time the police make a balls up someone needs to remind us that there are good cops out there. (not aimed at you John) I think that we need to realize that there is much wrong in the "service" and that there may well be some good guys in there but if these good guys do nothing, aren't they then reduced to be just bystanders? And if they are not even credible witnesses then, aren't they then supportive of wrong actions? This is not to bash the police just an observation and my opinion.
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28-08-2014, 07:57 #9
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- Aug 2010
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- Port Elizabeth
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- 55
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
Still do not understand the right a hand full of people have to the worlds diamonds, and how there business concerns become law to others. The diamond trade is about the only thing that makes me believe there could be stuff like those theories of 3rd forces and super people controlling our world. Ya know that Illuminate stuff etc
I find the concept of every stone on the planet belonging to someone already before even found mind boggling.
---- It is the only crime ( classified as ) that I will not resist or assist the law with. -----------------Lets not start on that its criminals running diamonds, only by default.
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28-08-2014, 08:17 #10
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- Oct 2010
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- Stellenbosch
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Re: Hawks don't raid wrong house, raid right house wrongly
Treeman, I like the way you think.
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