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The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Security Services have 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 on Friday night, after the assailants were caught red-handed with the stolen municipal property. The arrests are a welcome development as criminals have targeted municipal property, causing millions in damages in recent years.
The arrests follow the recovery of nine panels of palisade fencing stolen from North End Cemetery that were recovered from Sidwell Scrap Metals on Friday afternoon. 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 Isuzu bakkie parked on the N2 behind the facility.
Safety and Security Mayoral Committee Member, Lawrence Troon, said that the vigilant officers tactically approached the vehicle to investigate. Upon inspection, the officers found two women with a small child inside the vehicle.
"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 and 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, 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 all 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 vehicles used is the same bakkie that is implicated in the 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.
In a separate incident this morning, May 7, NMBM Security officers made another successful arrest in KwaNobuhle, Kariega, where one of four suspects was caught in connection to a vandalism and theft case at the KwaNobuhle Multipurpose Stadium.
The team was conducting patrol at the facility as it has become a target to criminals. As they were approaching the facility, four suspects ran in different directions and the officers set chase and managed to apprehend one man and returned to the facility.
“Upon arrival, they found that the suspects were busy stripping off roof sheets from the building. The suspect was placed under arrest for damage to infrastructure and was taken to the KwaNobuhle Police Station with the roof material handed in as exhibits,” Troon concluded.
