Durban — Police and a private security company arrested a wanted suspect who had been terrorising pedestrians and motorists by robbing them of their cellphones at knifepoint.
Marshall Security managing director Tyron Powell said that on Tuesday morning, their Special Operations team successfully apprehended a wanted robbery suspect.
Powell said that at around 9am, members of their Special Ops team received information from the Greenwood Park SAPS detectives about a suspect known for robbing pedestrians on Acutt Avenue while they were walking with their phones, as well as robbing people who were on their phones while sitting at the traffic lights.
He said that their Special Ops team, Greenwood Park SAPS detectives and the Greenwood Park Trio Unit set up a surveillance operation in the Briardene area. After nearly two hours of surveillance, the suspect was eventually spotted, and all teams immediately moved in.
“After a short foot chase, the suspect was successfully apprehended on a pathway off Acutt Avenue after attempting to flee into a nearby informal settlement in order to evade arrest. Upon searching the suspect, a knife was found in his possession.
“The suspect was then transported to the Greenwood Park SAPS, where further investigation revealed that he was part of a gang committing several robberies at the traffic lights of Acutt Avenue and North Coast Road,” Powell said.
Powell said the suspect’s accomplice was arrested earlier this month by the Greenwood Park SAPS.
“If you have been a victim of a crime with the same modus operandi, we encourage the public to please report the incident to the South African Police Service,” Powell said.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Greenwood Park arrested a 23-year-old for being in possession of a knife.
“The suspect was on the police’s radar in connection with cases of armed robbery which he allegedly committed on Acutt Avenue. The suspect is believed to have been targeting unsuspecting victims and robbing them of their belongings at knifepoint,” Netshiunda said.
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