Law enforcement officers apprehended two suspects on Monday after a member of the public alerted them that the two were involved in suspected remote jamming of a vehicle in Beach Road, Sea Point.
Mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, said in a post on the City of Cape Town’s Facebook that officers responded to the location on Monday March 7 and identified the suspects.
A short chase ensued and both suspects were arrested and positively identified by the member of the public.
The law enforcement officers found two additional remotes in the suspects’ possession.The suspects were handed over to Sea Point SAPS.
“Remote jamming is a common occurrence where perpetrators use any common hand-held remote, such as those often used to open a gate or garage door. If these are pushed in the same vicinity and at the same time a victim is busy pushing their vehicle’s remote arming button, the perpetrator’s remote then blocks out and overrides the genuine alarm remote.
“Perpetrators will often sit in parking areas and wait for an unsuspecting victim to pull up,” said Mr Smith.
He applauded the officers who responded to the incident, adding: “But most importantly, I must give my appreciation to the vigilant member of the public who identified the criminal behaviour and who was able to get the officers’ attention.
“Visible policing can only work if our City has the required resources to be visible and we will continue to assist our police in this regard.”
Here are some safety tips from SAPS and Christelle Colman, spokesperson for Old Mutual Insure:
– Avoid parking your motor vehicle where there are no security officers guarding other cars.
– Make sure your vehicle is properly locked. Don’t just press your vehicle alarm and walk away. Always make sure by testing to see if you can open your vehicle door after activating the alarm. If your door opens, get in and drive away. Chances are that the criminals are watching you from nearby.
– Always be aware of your surroundings and be aware of suspicious individuals lingering around the parking area. Report suspicious-looking people to security or move your car to a safer place.
– Listen for the sound that your car makes when it locks. Wait and watch the car lights flash to indicate it is locked. Physically try to open your door to ensure it doesn’t open before walking away.