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Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Security Services arrested two men thought to be part of a syndicate stealing palisade fencing from Municipal property across the Metro.
The arrests were made on Friday following a high-speed chase after authorities found a bakkie at Fish Water Flats loaded with palisade fencing panels.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Lawrence Troon, said the arrests also followed the recovery of nine palisade fencing panels stolen from the North End Cemetery and recovered from a scrap metal dealer in Sidwell on Friday afternoon.
He said members of the Municipality’s Facilities Protection Response Team were conducting a routine patrol when they came across a suspicious Isuzu bakkie parked on the N2 behind the Fish Water Flats with two women and a child inside.
“On further inspection at the back of the vehicle, they noticed the vehicle was fully loaded with green palisade fencing bars, the same as those at the outer fence of Fish Water Flats where they were close by,” Troon said.
He said the driver of the vehicle and another man were found hiding in the bushes, and when the Protection Officers were proceeding to take them to Swartkops Police Station under escort, they attempted to flee.
“During the chase, at Weinrork Street, Bluewater Bay, the driver of the bakkie drove into one of the Municipal vehicles, damaging it. The officers managed to corner the vehicle at 6th Avenue Mist Circle, Bluewater Bay, where they were all arrested and detained.”
He said the two women and the child were released, while the men are due to appear in court soon.
“This arrest is specifically a breakthrough as we have since learned that the vehicle used is the same bakkie that is implicated in the North End Cemetery vandalism and theft case,” Troon said.
Meanwhile, another person was arrested on Sunday on a charge of vandalism in KwaNobuhle in Kariega.
He said three other suspects managed to flee after a team conducting a patrol came across the men stealing roof shooting from the Kwa Nobuhle Multipurpose Stadium which he said had become a target of criminals.
The suspects are due to appear in court this week.
