Combined forces lead to arrest of dangerous wanted criminal in Toti

Strong team work between the Amanzimtoti Community Crime Prevention Organisation (CCPO) and security companies, including Blue Security, led to the arrest of a dangerous, allegedly wanted criminal yesterday.
CCPO committee member George Snodey said the suspect had been arrested a few months ago after allegedly being involved in a home invasion in Middleton Road when a resident was stabbed. “The suspect allegedly entered the home at night and ended up wrestling with the resident, before he grabbed a butter knife of a counter and stabbed the resident in the chest,” Snodey said.
Snodey said the resident had fortunately survived the stabbing, but only because the knife had not been a sharp one. “The suspect was arrested and released on bail and just a few weeks later he was allegedly involved in another housebreaking in Ocean View Road in Winkelspruit. The residents had footage and we had a look at the footage and were able to identify him as the same suspect,” Snodey said.
“He was arrested and taken to the Amanzimtoti police station, but he somehow managed to escape from custody. The police let us know and we have been looking for him for about a month now,” Snodey said.
Snodey said local security companies and the CCPO had worked closely together in recent weeks to find the suspect, before cornering him at the beach at around noon yesterday. “We received a tip off that he had been seen down at Winkelspruit Beach and all the security companies were on standby and rushed down to the beach. The CCPO assisted by Blue Security and ET Rapid Response managed to arrest the suspect in Alexander Road.”
Snodey said the suspect was handed over to the Amanzimtoti SAPS. He is facing several charges including charges of house robbery and house breaking as well as a charge of escaping from lawful custody.