Security companies, the police and other legal entities often face crime head-on and heroically stop criminals in their tracks.
On Friday 28 October, security company, Duma Tactical’s special operations unit nabbed cellphone tower thieves. It was previously reported in theSandton Chronicle article, Criminals busted, Week ending 4 November that this security company had assisted the police in apprehending follow-home hijackers who followed residents from banks and ATM machines in Woodmead.
Their most recent actions were just as successful and once again displayed teamwork between security companies and the police.
Robert Gibbon of the security company said, “Duma Tactical… had a high-speed chase in Buccleuch. Five suspects broke into the cellphone tower in Muller Street at the new church. When our reaction officer was patrolling [Muller Street during the incident] he noticed the suspects were loading a blue Isuzu bakkie and acting suspiciously.”
The reaction officer then approached the suspects to see what they were doing but the thieves fled the scene when they saw him. As a result, a high-speed chase ensued.
Gibbon explained that the chase ended on Maxwell Drive in Woodmead where the security company managed to force the suspects off the road. “All the suspect jumped out of the vehicle and fled into the bushes. We searched for them but were unable to track them down. The vehicle [contained] eight cellphone tower batteries [which] were recovered.”
He added that Duma Tactical did not leave the matter there as they were determined to solve the crime and track down all of the suspects. “We managed to trace the ownership of the vehicle… A sting operation was set up with Sandton SAPS Crime Prevention unit, Duma Tactical Special Operations and Digit G6 Anti-Hijacking Team, which led to the successful arrest of three of the suspects… in Olievenhoutbosch, Centurion.”
Gibbon stressed that, according to the network security manager at the cellphone company, this is the first time suspects have been caught for a theft of this nature. He, therefore, believes that the efforts of Duma Tactical were a huge success.
He concluded that the investigation is ongoing with the police.
