A suspected copper pipe thief was arrested in Vermont last week after a community member alerted security officials and shared a photograph of the suspect. This once-again highlighted the growing role of residents in neighbourhood safety efforts around Hermanus and Onrus.

The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday 19 May after copper piping was reportedly stolen from a house in Vermont, according to Onrus Vermont Special Rating Area (OVSRA).

The photograph of the suspect was circulated among OVSRA patrol vehicles, environmental patrollers and neighbourhood watch groups shortly after the theft was reported. This is according to Marius Boschoff, Hermanus branch manager for Fidelity ADT.

“At around 16:45, the Fidelity ADT/OVSRA CCTV operator spotted the suspect and alerted all the patrollers as well as the local neighbourhood watch groups,” he said. “After an extensive search of the area and the suspect hiding away in nearby properties, he was eventually found at around 18:00 by a member of the Hermanus Neighbourhood Watch.” The suspect was subsequently detained and handed over to the police, where he was arrested for the alleged theft of copper pipes.

The OVSRA is managed by a board of directors of Ward 13 in Overstrand in partnership with Fidelity ADT.