Underage suspects arrested in connection with a series of smash-and-grab incidents.
Children as young as 13 are believed to be behind the smash-and-grab attacks along a notorious stretch of Jan van Riebeeck drive where EMS worker Lionel Rossi died after chasing suspected robbers last week.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has recorded 90 safety-related incidents involving EMS staff in the past year, including 23 stoning incidents, 12 robberies, and seven assaults.
The Law Enforcement Department registered 400 smash and grab incidents from December 2025 until May this year.
Rossi from Paarl, reportedly died of a heart attack while pursuing robbers along Jan van Riebeeck Drive and Epping Avenue in Elsies River last week, has brought the issue of smash-and-grab incidents into the spotlight.
