Successful week for Plett crime fighters

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Local crime fighters have had a successful week, contributing to the arrest of suspects allegedly involved in a host of criminal activities as well as the recovery of stolen goods in and around town.

Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said the latest incident, on 24 February, saw the recovery of stolen cellphones following a burglary from a vehicle at Hobie Beach on 24 February.

Olivier said they received an alert that two cellphones had been stolen from a vehicle in the area. The phones were tracked to the vicinity of Wildevy Street in New Horizons. The phone tracking led responders to a bushy area where they found the phones wrapped in foil and polystyrene - supposedly to block the cellphone signal.

The phones were taken to the local police station where the victims, holidaymakers, opened a case of theft from a motor vehicle.

Two cellphones were recovered in New Horizons following a burglary from a vehicle at Hobie Beach. The phones were covered in foil and polystyrene.

The previous night, the Plett Security Tactical Response Unit assisted SANParks rangers during an anti-poaching operation after a vehicle was pulled over. It was believed that the four occupants of the vehicle had been involved in the illegal harvesting of abalone.

"The four suspects evaded arrest and fled into the thick bushy area near Forest Hall," Olivier said. Police and the Tsitsikamma K9 unit responded to assist. "Our drone was also launched in search of the suspects. With the help of the dog unit, abalone was found, but unfortunately the suspects were not." Five bags of abalone, containing 565 units, were seized.

Two cellphones that had been stolen from a vehicle at Hobie Beach were recovered in New Horizons. The phones were covered in foil and polystyrene.

On 22 February, Kranshoek Rapid Response Unit (KHRRU) members were asked to assist in finding a suspect involved in several burglaries. Between the KHRRU and Bitou Law Enforcement an operation plan was put into motion.

"After various leads were followed up, the suspect was found in a vehicle," said KHRRU chairman Arthur Kayster. "The suspect jumped out of the vehicle and fled, but was chased down on foot [by responders]. He was arrested by law enforcement officers and handed over to police."

He added that it took members only 35 minutes to successfully complete the operation from the onset to the apprehension.

"A word of gratitude goes out to our special community for their valued information which led to the arrest of the suspect."

Five bags of abalone were seized near Forest Hall in Plettenberg Bay.