The Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) manager is being lauded after he caught a suspect in the act of trying to rob tourists near the Company’s Gardens on Monday.
Muneeb “Mo” Hendricks, who is in charge of the CCID’s 300 Public Security Officers (PSOs), was on his way to do a routine inspection when they came across the incident in Avenue Street near Cape Town High School.
The suspect noticed the marked vehicle and fled.
“We were travelling by car and Richard Beasley (Manager of CCID Urban Management) was driving.
“We noticed a scuffle 100 metres from us and realised tourists were being mugged by an armed suspect.
“As we were rushing to the scene, the suspect fled and we pursued him by car,” Hendricks explained.
DRIVING SEAT: Richard Beasley
Cutting the suspect off, Hendricks jumped from the vehicle and chased the suspect on foot.
“With the assistance of security personnel from the Jewish Museum who came to help us, I used minimum force to apprehend the suspect.
“I then contacted the CCID’s Safety and Security teams to assist,” he explains.
Law Enforcement also came out and the suspect, who was found to be in possession of a knife, was arrested and detained at Cape Town Central SAPS and a case of attempted armed robbery was opened by the tourists.
Hendricks urges both tourists and locals to be vigilant when walking the streets of Cape Town.
“Criminals will always look for an opportunity and members of the public should be cognisant of this and be vigilant,” he added.