THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Security Services made a breakthrough with the arrest of two men believed to be a part of a syndicate vandalising and stealing palisade fencing from municipal properties around the metro.
The arrests were made after a dramatic car chase at the weekend, after the assailants were caught red-handed with stolen municipal property.
The arrests are a welcome development as criminals have specifically targeted municipal property, causing millions of rands in damage in recent years.
The arrests follow the recovery of nine panels of palisade fencing at Sidwell Scrap Metals that were stolen from the North End Cemetery.
The vigilant NMBM security officers busted the two men with palisade fencing stolen from the Fishwater Flats Water Treatment Facility. The Facilities Protection Response team was conducting a routine patrol session and came across a suspicious situation where a bakkie was parked on the N2 behind the facility.
MMC for Safety and Security, Lawrence Troon, said the officers made a tactical approach on the vehicle to investigate. Upon inspection, the officers found two women with a small child inside.
“On further inspection, at the back of the vehicle, they noticed that the vehicle was fully loaded with green palisade fencing bars, the same as those at the outer fence of Fishwater Flats nearby. Upon enquiring where the driver of the vehicle was, they were shown into the bushes where they went on a search,” Troon said.
“During the search, the officers found two men hiding in the bushes and took them back to the bakkie, to enquire about the stolen property. The two showed the officers where they stole the fencing, at Fishwater Flats, and were then instructed to drive their vehicle to the Swartkops Police Station under escort. What followed was the suspects’ attempt to flee from the officers and a chase ensued,” Troon added.
He explained that during the chase, at Weinronk Way in Bluewater Bay, the driver of the bakkie drove into one of the municipal vehicles, damaging it. The officers managed to corner the vehicle at De Mist Circle, Bluewater Bay, where they were arrested and detained and the police called for backup.
The suspects were later taken to the Swartkops Police Station where the two women and the child were later released, and the men detained.
“This arrest is specifically a breakthrough as we have since learnt that the vehicle used is the same bakkie implicated in a North End Cemetery vandalism and theft case. We want to commend our officers for the job well done and thank them for their commitment in the fight against vandalism in our metro. We want to warn criminals that we will continue to squeeze the space in which they operate. Lawlessness will not be tolerated,” Troon said.
– ISSUED BY
THE NELSON MANDELA BAY MUNICIPALITY
