PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - With neighbourhood watch groups not being allowed to do their patrols under lockdown, other role players have had to try and fill the gaps in Plettenberg Bay.

Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said over the past three weeks PBCPA security partners, police and Bitou law enforcement have been patrolling the town's streets while neighbourhood watch groups have had to keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour and activities from their places of residence. “These security partners have had to stretch their resources to the limit to keep on doing crime prevention patrols,” Olivier said.

They have however been successful in stopping some alleged criminals in their tracks. 

Olivier said on Friday 17 April, the PBCPA received reports that a man had been “flashing” three women in the vicinity of Beachy Head Drive. “The suspect fled the scene towards the beach area. The Plett K9 unit was on the scene swiftly and footprints on the beach indicated that he had run towards the Beacon Island," Olivier said.

“The suspect, a mentally challenged person, was apprehended and handed over to police for the necessary action to be taken.”

He added that just after 02:00 on Saturday morning, PBCPA control room operators spotted a suspect on the Poortjies CCTV cameras, jumping over a fence in Plato Street. “The Plett Security tactical response unit, Smhart Security, Plett Security and police Warrant Officer Phillip van Pletzen responded immediately with ADT in quick succession. The suspect was apprehended by Smhart response officers and taken away by the police.”

Olivier extended his thanks "to our fabulous community that go above and beyond the norm to assist people and animals". "You are truly very special people indeed.”

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