While the public rested, the Community Crime Prevention Organisation (CCPO) made a significant number of busts over the festive season break.
On Monday, 1 January Blue Security CCPO response officer, Isaac Ngema was patrolling along Kingsway in Warner Beach when he noticed men inside a closed pawn shop.
He called for back-up but the men saw him and fled into the bushes near the railway line. After a search of the area by the CCPO, Blue Security and ET Rapid Response members, some of the stolen property was recovered in the bush. It is not known what the men escaped with.
The CCPO advises business owners that a group of thieves has been targetting local businesses for a while now, gaining entry through the roof and disarming alarms. “Those businesses which have CCTV cameras are also finding the recording units are being stolen, so no footage is available,” said CCPO committee member, George Snodey. “If you haven’t got a concrete roof, contact your service provider and ensure the alarm unit cannot be breached or reached before the alarm activates.”
READ ALSO: CCTV nets Ridge Rd, Amanzimtoti light thief
In the early hours of Friday morning, 29 December the CCPO received a call from a St Winifreds resident about their neighbour’s dogs that were barking incessantly at about 3am.
CCPO response officer, Logan Naidoo and his crewman Hendrick Nxumalo responded and as they turned into Tecoma Place, two men on foot attempted to flee. The officers chased down and collared one man, while the other escaped.
After questioning him, the man took them to a residence in Tecoma Place which they had burgled. The sleeping home owner was unaware his house had been broken into and his cellphone stolen. Unfortunately the thief who had escaped had the cellphone.
READ ALSO: Call CCPO direct when crisis strikes
The apprehended thief admitted he was part of a syndicate targetting local homes and smashing windows to get to valuables. He was arrested and detained. A search of the outlying areas by the CCPO, Blue Security and Chubb Security members failed to find the escapee.
In a separate incident a housebreaker was nabbed by a Blue Security CCPO response officer after he tried to break into an Ocean View Road premises in Athlone Park on Saturday, 30 December. Lawrence Mazwi responded to an alarm activation. On arrival he noticed the front door had been damaged but not breached, so he searched the property. The officer caught the thief in the yard and he was detained by Amanzimtoti SAPS.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 694 6047
The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
