WATCH | A mountain of crime: More cops sent to trails as Table Mountain mugging wave swells

Parts of Cape Town's Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) have seen a spike in armed robberies of hikers and trail runners, with more boots on the ground now promised to protect visitors during the busy festive season.

TMNP, a natural world heritage site spanning 70km from Signal Hill in the north to Cape Point in the south, attracts millions of local and international visitors every year. But its proximity to Cape Town's bustling urban areas, coupled with the park's unique open access drawcard, has invited criminals to its network of trails.