Good teamwork, drone use result in speedy arrests

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Cooperation among Plettenberg Bay crime fighters led to the swift arrest of three suspects responsible for a violent home invasion that rocked the peaceful suburb of Poortjies last week.

The attack happened in broad daylight on Thursday afternoon, 28 January.

Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said the association was alerted about an emergency at a home in Zenon Street.

Smhart Security responded immediately and found a "badly beaten" man on the property. The security company spotted three men fleeing into bushes between Julia Avenue and the N2.

While the security company personnel assisted the man, whom they established had been tied up and viciously assaulted during an armed robbery, PBCPA members - including police, Bitou law enforcement, the Plett Security Tactical Response Unit, PBCPA patrollers, Plett Security, Fidelity ADT and Plett Watch members - flooded the area.

"Even members of the public assisted. About 40 vehicles and 50 people cordoned off the bushy area," Olivier said.

The PBCPA drone was also used to scan the dense vegetation. One of the suspects was spotted and was tracked, chased down and arrested. The other two suspects fled towards the N2. Crime fighters gave chase and the other two suspects were arrested in the bushy area near the Formosa Garden Village.

Crime fighters flooded the area between Julia Avenue and the N2 in Plettenberg Bay to track down three robbery suspects. Photo: Supplied

All arrests were made within 49 minutes. The stolen goods, which included a laptop, a camera, cellphones and various other high value items, were also recovered.

The victim did not wish to go to hospital and was treated on site by Medlife personnel.

Plettenberg Bay police spokesperson Captain Marlene Pieterse said the 65-year-old victim noticed an intruder on his doorstep while busy in his study. When the victim approached the intruder, the suspect first threatened him with a knife and then stabbed him on his left hand. The other suspects then joined the initial attacker and repeatedly beat and kicked the victim.

A photograph taken from drone footage of the arrest of one robbery suspect. Photo: Supplied

They then tied him up with the cord of a kettle and a charger cable, before putting a pillow over his face.

"They started ransacking the house," Pieterse said, "and they took household items to the value of about R200 000 before leaving. The complainant managed to free himself and started looking for help." This was when he flagged down local security officers passing through the area.

Valuable items were recovered. Photo: Supplied

Pieterse confirmed the arrests and said the suspects were aged 17 to 20.

Olivier attributed the successful arrests and recovery to the "fantastic cohesion and swift response" of all role players.

Bitou municipal spokesman Andile Namntu confirmed the incident, saying the municipality welcomed the good working relationships among law enforcement agencies.

High value items were recovered after the arrests.
Photo: Supplied