The collaborative efforts of private security, neighbourhood watch members, law enforcement and the police in Kraaifontein was lauded following the arrest of a suspect wanted for rape and child pornography charges in the Northern Cape.
Jan Lewis Strydom was wanted for alleged child pornography and the alleged rape of an 11-year-old girl in Victoria West in March 2016.
Strydom was scheduled to appear in the Victoria West District Court, but failed to show.
City Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said the vigilance of a private security company in Kraaifontein paid off last week.
“Working closely with their local Neighbourhood Watch, they narrowed in on a wanted suspect who had been on the run since 2016.
“After narrowing down the location to a premises in Hill St, SJC Security's Special Operations team contacted SAPS in De Aar and acquired the warrant for arrest. Together with law enforcement, the team swooped on the property on Wednesday evening and found the wanted suspect hiding in one of the buildings on the premises,” Smith said.
The suspect was arrested and detained at Kraaifontein police station where arrangements were made to transfer him back to the Northern Cape, Smith said.
“Several computers and storage devices were seized in the operation as well.”
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the suspect appeared in court on Thursday.
“The suspect was arrested on a Victoria West SAPS case. He was arrested and went to court on Thursday,” he said.
Cape Times