Camera network helps in arrests
Two suspects were arrested in the northern suburbs this weekend, thanks to a sophisticated camera network that covers a great section of the city. They are reportedly linked to a robbery incident earlier in May.
On Sunday 27 May 2018, operators monitoring the License Plate Recognition (LPR) camera network received an alert regarding a suspicious vehicle that was noticed in Bellville. The alert message linked the vehicle in question as reportedly being linked to an armed robbery incident in central Cape Town, on 9 May 2018.
“Our operator immediately informed Bellville SAPS and our armed response vehicles in the area to be on the look-out for the vehicle,” explains Verena Hulme, district manager (Cape Town North) for Fidelity ADT.
Armed response vehicles from Fidelity ADT managed to corner the vehicle close to the intersection of Jip de Jager and Van Riebeeckshof Roads, where the suspects were detained. SAPS arrested the two occupants of the car and also discovered drugs inside the vehicle along with a blue light.
“Modern technology gives us a great edge in the fight against crime. This LPR network, for example, alerts us immediately if any suspicious vehicles are spotted. Along with the radio network that links neighbourhood watches, police and security companies across the city, we are making it more and more difficult for criminals to hide from the law.
“It is important though that residents never drop their guard. We all need to be aware of what happens around us and that we speak up immediately if we notice anything suspicious. If we work together, we can make our suburbs a ‘no go’ zone for criminals,” says Hulme.
[Attached are images of armed response officer Sebata Makohliso (who responded and apprehended the suspects) and LPR operator William Morapedi.]