SUMMERSTRAND - POLICE ARREST SUSPECT AFTER HIGH SPEED CHASE!

Car chase leads to arrest of one suspect in Summerstrand

AFTER months of perusing hazy CCTV footage taken from various malls and ATMs around Nelson Mandela Bay and staking out hotspots, police have finally made a breakthrough with the arrest of a member of a gang suspected of targeting tourists visiting the Friendly City.

A 35-year-old man was arrested by police and Atlas Security following a car chase in Summerstrand on Thursday evening. His two accomplices managed to get away in a rental vehicle.

The gang is believed to be behind a spate of incidents including smash and grabs and handbag snatches at restaurants. They are also believed to have targeted tourists using ATMs as they seldom have limits on their withdrawals.

Police suspect the gang has been involved in almost 80 cases in Port Elizabeth, five of those in the last two weeks. A police task team was formed almost six months ago, but Thursday’s arrest is the first major breakthrough.

Atlas Security operations manager Monty Montgomery said a response officer arrived at Summerstrand Shopping Centre in Eighth Avenue after security officials pressed their panic button.

“As the armed response officer arrived in the car park, a group of three were running to a Volkswagen Polo,” he said. “The security at the complex alerted us that they had been involved in incidents in the complex and were sought by police.

“My armed response officer followed the vehicle while alerting police. “The Polo was followed into Fifth Avenue when the driver of the Polo slammed on brakes and all three got out.

“They were walking to the response officer when the police arrived behind them. The men then ran to their vehicle to escape and my armed response officer grabbed one of them.”

Montgomery said police chased the vehicle into the Humerail area where they lost sight of it. “We have been aware of the gang operating mainly in the beachfront section for several months.

“They constantly change vehicles and have a rather large network making it extremely difficult to catch them,” he said.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said detectives had already established there was a warrant of arrest for the man.

VIA - heraldlive.co.za