Warning: No New Year's flying fridges

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- South African police will crack down hard on anybody throwing old fridges from high-rise buildings during the New Year's holiday.

Police and soldiers are on patrol in Johannesburg's notorious Hillbrow suburb, famous for the gravity-based practice.

Throwing heavy objects from balconies and firing guns have become something of a bad "New Year's institution," police Inspector Kriben Naidoo told the BBC.

Revellers in previous years have been killed by stray bullets.

It's not clear why Hillbrow residents welcome the New Year by throwing objects such as fridges, microwave ovens, beds, rubbish bins and condoms out of their windows.

Some also aim their New Year fireworks horizontally into other high-rise buildings.

Local police don helmets and bullet-proof vests when on New Year's Eve duty, the BBC said.