Response officers arrest armed robbers

BLUE Security armed response officers and police arrested two alleged armed robbers who stabbed and mugged a pedestrian near Pigeon Valley in Glenwood on Monday morning.

Blue Security operations manager, Brian Jackson, said an armed response officer had responded to a panic alarm from the guard hut in Princess Alice Road near Pigeon Valley at around 8.17am.

“Our officer arrived at the scene and the street patrol guard advised him that a pedestrian had been stabbed in the arm and robbed of two cellphones and his bag. The victim was able to give our officer a description of the alleged robbers and point to the direction in which they had fled the scene. The victim was taken by a member of the public to King Edward Hospital for medical treatment,” he said.

Jackson said the officer drove off to search for the suspects and managed to track them down several blocks away on the corner of Myrtle Road and Umbilo Road.

“He contacted our control centre to request back-up and asked for the police to attend to assist with the arrest. The suspects were searched and two cellphones belonging to the victim were recovered on them as well as his bag, which was retrieved from Pigeon Valley. The recovered goods were handed over to the police,” he said.

Jackson commended the work of the guard, the officers and the police, which he said sent a strong message to criminals that crime would not be tolerated in the suburb.

“The Pigeon Valley area has been a hotspot for muggings for some time, and despite this arrest we urge pedestrians and residents to remain vigilant as the bushes unfortunately provide criminals with a hiding place for their loot and from where to pounce on their unsuspecting victims,” he said.