CASSIM PARK – ACSU Security Services pursued a suspected bicycle thief in Cassim Park on September 21 after responding to a report of three suspicious men carrying a saw in Cassim Park.

An ACSU reaction unit responded to the area and went to Dendar Street to investigate the report.

While in the area, an ACSU reaction officer noticed a man sitting on the sidewalk outside a property in Dendar Street. The man told the officer that he was working at the property.

The reaction officer drove a short distance before returning to the area.

The owner of the residence then asked the officer why they were patrolling there.

The officer explained that they were following up on a report of suspicious activity in the area.

While the officer and the property owner were speaking, they noticed three men.

One of them was seen running from a property in the street, and the ACSU reaction officer pursued him.

The reaction officer could not drive onto the pavement to set after him, but the owner of the property in Dendar Street, with whom the officer had been speaking earlier, managed to catch up with the suspect and detained him until further assistance arrived.

According to ACSU, the suspect had allegedly stolen a bicycle from the property.

Community members also gathered and confronted the suspect. ACSU said the man allegedly confessed to the theft when confronted by the community.

The other two suspects denied knowing the man.

After confronting the suspect, the community members released him. The bicycle was subsequently returned to its rightful owner.

A woman from the property did not wish to proceed with opening a case or have SAPS dispatched to the scene.