Botha’s Hill resident nabs housebreaker

An alleged housebreaker sporting a vacuum cleaner, a brush cutter and an extension cable got more than he bargained for when fed up residents gave chase and arrested him on Sunday afternoon.
Blue Security marketing manager Darren Lategan said Botha’s Hill residents had chased the man after he was spotted trespassing on their properties in Chapel Road in broad daylight at 2.37pm. “Neighbours from two homes in the street gave chase and caught him in the road in possession of the household appliances and an extension cable,” he said. “He refused to divulge which property he had broken into. Hillcrest SAPS attended the scene.”
Lategan said in a separate incident at 9.54am on Saturday an Assagay resident had reported that her vehicles had been broken into while parked on their property in Williams Road. “The thief fled with two pairs of sunglasses and gate remotes. It was unclear how the thief managed to get onto the property,” he said.
Lategan advised residents not to leave valuables in their cars even if they are parked in the garage or behind locked gates. “Unfortunately criminals cruise the suburbs looking for opportunities where they can break in and rummage for valuables. If you have a garage at home park your cars inside, especially at night as it is too risky to leave them parked in the driveway,” he said.
“Insurance companies will also ask questions about where a vehicle was parked at the time of an incident and could repudiate a claim on the basis that insured valuables were left lying around or a vehicle has not been locked away at night.”