Cape Town - The Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) has urged visitors to exercise caution while enjoying outdoor activities and to do so in groups.
This comes after a co-ordinated operation by multiple role-players resulted in the arrest of two suspects for robbery on Sunday.
Police, members of the Hout Bay Community Crime Prevention (CCP), volunteers from TMNP, SANParks’ SeaAir-Mountain Unit, and SANParks Rangers responded swiftly to the scene where two suspects, aged 36 and 38, were arrested following the robbery of two mountain cyclists between Bokkemanskloof and Schoorsteenberg.
SANParks spokesperson, JP Louw, said the swift response was initiated from the TMNP Operations Room after an alert by Hout Bay CCP.
“The apprehension of the suspects was executed in the Constantiaberg area of Table Mountain National Park, above Hout Bay. Due to the quick reaction from SAPS and volunteers, two suspects matching a description provided by the victims were intercepted in the Hout Bay area,” he said.
Dangerous weapons and stolen goods were discovered in the suspects' possession.
Louw said: “The victims were unharmed, and a case has been opened at Hout Bay SAPS by the victims, who were assisted by SANParks rangers.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed the incident and said the suspects appeared in court yesterday.
He said according to reports, the suspects carried knives.
“The suspects made their court appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court (yesterday),” Twigg said.
Table Mountain Watch chairperson Andre van Schalkwyk said they were grateful for the arrests.
Louw added: “This success underscores the valuable role of collaboration with security partners as well as the role of the intel interpretation team of the TMNP Operations Room, which played a critical role in developing this joint operation.”
TMNP pleaded with visitors to do activities in groups of two or more, while choosing their route carefully and sticking to it. In case of an emergency, contact Table Mountain National Park Emergency at 086 110 6417or Wilderness Search and Rescue at 021 937 0300 or dial 112.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus