SUMMER JACOBS
Six men, aged between 24 and 44, were arrested for being in the possession of 3.2kg crystal methamphetamine (tik) with a street value of approximately R600 000, on Wednesday May 25.
While constables Darion Murphy and Claudia Martin from the Table View police were busy with routine crime prevention duties in Table View during the night shift, they noticed a vehicle in Raats Drive, near Echium Road which had illegal blue park lights.
The police officers instructed the driver to pull over. Constable Murphy approached the driver and asked him to get out of the vehicle.
The officer noticed that the other five men inside the vehicle appeared restless and he instructed them to get out of the vehicle with their hands away from their bodies.
While Constable Martin kept an eye on the men, Constable Murphy searched the vehicle and discovered large quantities of what appeared to be crystal methamphetamine (tik) inside a back-pack. The men were immediately arrested, the vehicle was impounded and the drugs were handed in as evidence.
* Table View police eventually arrested a man after a high speed chase on Thursday May 26, at around 2pm.
Table View police received information over the Table View Neighbourhood Watch hand radio of a vehicle in the area that could be linked to housebreaking cases in Milnerton and Sea Point.
Sergeant Cyprin Mtjale and Warrant Officer Nicky Knoetzen responded and noticed the vehicle driving in Blaauwberg Road. The driver of the vehicle noticed he was being followed, so made a U-turn and sped off.
He was instructed to pull to the side of the road and complied but when the officers left their police vehicle, the driver sped off. There was constant communication between SAPS, the neighbourhood watch and an armed response vehicle.
The man drove towards oncoming traffic, endangering the lives of other motorists. He was eventually cornered in a cul-de-sac in Table View. The police officers instructed the driver to get out of the vehicle, but he ignored them and drove towards them.
The officers shot at the tyres of the vehicle, upon which the driver lost control and drove into a wall. The suspect was arrested and faces multiples charges.
The Milnerton Cluster Commander, Brigadier Aneeqah Jordaan applauded the SAPS employees who were involved in the arrest, as well as the neighbourhood watch members and armed response members involved.
* Warrant Officer Gerhard Davis and a colleague were busy with routine crime prevention patrols during the early hours of the morning on Thursday May 26 in Table View, when they spotted a Toyota Corolla with no back number plate.
Warrant Officer Davis tested the other number plate and found that the vehicle had been stolen in Blackheath two days earlier.
The officer called for assistance from colleagues, before instructing the driver to pull the vehicle to the side of the road in Raats Drive. There were four other occupants with the driver. The vehicle was searched and drugs were confiscated. All the occupants of the vehicle were arrested.
* Table View police say they have seen an increase in cases relating to theft out of motor vehicle in the last three months.
According to Lieutenant Adriana Chandler, several awareness initiatives have been done through the various mediums such as broadcast and print media, the Community Police Forum (CPF) websites and pamphlet distribution by police to inform the community about being vigilant when it comes to this type of crime in the Table View precinct.
“The areas being affected by theft out of motor vehicles are noticed in all three sectors. Vehicles were either parked in a public area such as car parks or in driveways at home.
“Numerous suspects have been arrested during the three months, and the modus operandi used was to smash windows of the cars,” said Lieutenant Chandler.
“The type of belongings reported stolen were handbags, cellphones, laptops, computer equipment, clothing, GPS systems and cash. These items were left in plain sight for the criminals and the complainants were easy targets. An appeal is once again made to the community to be more responsible, vigilant and not to leave valuables in plain sight when parking a car, even if it is just for a moment,” Lieutenant Chandler said.