The successful collaboration of police and the community lead to the arrest of three men who was attempting a house robbery in Lyttelton.
Colonel Alida Esterhuizen confirmed that four men in a grey BMW were busy loading electronics such as a plasma TV and computer equipment from a house in Station Road on Friday, when an 81-year-old man noticed the suspicious behavior.
The man informed the community policing forum (CPF) of the suspicious behavior who in turn notified the Lyttelton police of the house-burglary which took place around 13:30.
On arrival at the house a member from the Litcom CPF Sector 2.4, Constant Swanevelder, parked his bakkie in front of the suspects’ vehicle to prevent them from escaping.
When the alleged robbers inside the house noticed that someone had arrived at the house, they ran to the back of the house where they broke through a glass sliding door and jumped over the wall in the neighbour’s yard.
Another member of the CPF, Gerhard Steyn shot a warning shot when the suspects attempted to escape by jumping over fences.
Two of them were caught in a neighbour’s backyard.
They were taken into custody and the search for the other two suspects started. After more than two hours, a third suspect were arrested in Van Riebeeck Avenue.
The three arrested suspects, aged between 25 and 30 years, are from Atterigdeville, said Warrant-officer Antoinne Botha. The suspects face charges of theft and house-burglary.
According to Botha the suspects admitted to their modus operandi.
“The suspects told the police that they usually drop one person off in a street who then walk to each house and ring their doorbell. If no one answers, they target the house,” said Botha.
The fourth suspect is still at large.
“This successful arrest was only possibly with the help of the CPF,” Esterhuizen said.
The owner of the house, Vassilo Wallushnig (43), was at his work in Midrand at the time of the incident.
When he was notified, he drove home immediately just to find almost 10 police and civilian vehicles in the street. The BMW still stood in his drive way and his house was cordoned off.
“I never thought this would happen. Lyttelton is quite a safe area,” Wallushnig said but added that this incident did not influenced his perspective of his neighbourhood being relatively safe.
“Nothing seems to be missing or broken, but the investigation still needs to be conducted then I will see whether the TV and other equipment is broken,” Wallushnig said.
The vehicle was positively identified as a vehicle that was stolen in January in Zwartkop, said Esterhuizen.
According to Captain Phillip Heydenrych, the men have been sought after by the police for a period of time as suspects for other burglaries.
