PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The vigilance and quick action by security stakeholders in Plettenberg Bay led to the successful apprehension of alleged criminals this past week.
- On Wednesday 14 February an alert security guard at Melville’s Corner in Plett’s Main Street noticed suspicious behaviour at an ATM across the road and subsequently foiled an ATM crime where tourists were the target.
Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention Association (PBCPA) operations head Otto Olivier said a German couple was busy withdrawing money at an ATM when two men approached them.
“The two men observed the tourists and managed to obtain their pin. Once they got that, they tried to distract the tourists in an attempt to grab their bank card. They managed to grab it from the ATM and set off,” Olivier said.
The security guard, however, saw what had happened and made his way down to the scene of the crime.
“When the two suspects saw the guard approaching, they ran away. Their getaway vehicle was parked around the corner. They jumped in and drove away at high speed.”
Olivier said the guard managed to get a description of the car, which he immediately reported to local police who then gave chase.
“Due to the high speed the suspects were travelling at, police lost the vehicle on the N2.”
Knysna police were also alerted and the car, with the suspects inside, was tracked down in Knysna shortly thereafter.
The pair were arrested and the stolen bank card returned to the ecstatic tourists.
- On Friday 16 February at about 12:30 the PBCPA members received an alert that a Nguni Restaurant staff member’s cellphone had been stolen.
Plett Watch member Arthur Kayster was in the vicinity and responded immediately.
After combing the area, he received information about the suspect's whereabouts and requested assistance.
PBCPA executive members Marius Venter and Sally Turner were there within minutes and managed to find and arrest the suspect.
Olivier said the suspect pointed out where he had ditched the phone at the taxi rank kiosk.
The phone was recovered and handed back to the owner. The suspect was handed over to police.
- About an hour later the PBCPA received an alert from Bitou beach control about a suspect harassing children on the beach.
“Beach control could provide a good description of the suspect and in which direction he was moving. He was headed to Solar Beach.”
PBCPA members tracked the suspect down and found him on Solar Beach harassing two women. The suspect was then removed from the area and handed over to Bitou law enforcement.
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