Law Enforcement officers of the City of Cape Town recovered a stolen vehicle this past weekend on Saturday (11 February) in Strand.
The owner of the van had been enjoying a day at Strand Beach when he noticed it pass by. His quick reaction, and that of officers, led to its recovery and the arrest of the two thieves.
“The hot weather of the past few days has not deterred criminals,” Alderman JP Smith, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, pointed out. “[They] also made use of the opportunity to take their crime to the beach. The officers have to be commended for their quick reaction, but at the same time I want to encourage residents and bathers to be vigilant at all times.
“A day at the beach is meant to be relaxing, but this incident proves the criminals don’t take a day off. Be aware of your surroundings even while you’re enjoying the sand and the surf.
“The vehicle’s owner was at the beach when he saw his vehicle pass him by while the keys were in his possession. He immediately ran to the mobile Law Enforcement station at the beach, where he was assisted by area staff and officers from the Metal Theft Unit.”
Smith explained that along with the owner’s two sons, the officers set off after the vehicle, which was making a beeline for the N2 via Broadway Road. The car thieves stopped when they saw the blue lights, jumped out and attempted to flee, but were quickly arrested and taken to Strand Police Station, where they were charged with the theft of a motor vehicle and possession of stolen property.
In a separate incident, a 42-year-old male and 40-year-old female were arrested and detained on charges of possession of drugs in Macassar. The Anti Economical Crime Task Team responded to information pertaining to drugs stored at identified addresses in Macassar on Monday (13 February). The members operationalised the information and approached the homes in October and Malgas streets simultaneously. Both premises were searched, and members confiscated drugs with an estimated street value of R73 000. Once charged, these two suspects were expected to appear in Strand Magistrates’ Court.
