CRIME SCENE: Simon’s Town, Cape Town: Extreme patience and skillful monitoring by law enforcers led to the arrest of five people who allegedly robbed a tourist.

The crime was committed in Simon’s Town, the vehicle moved through Hout Bay and was finally cornered in Camps Bay.

The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said Simon’s Town police circulated a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) on Saturday 5 September 2026, after a suspicious vehicle was identified in connection with a break-in at a tourist’s vehicle near Boulders Beach. 

A short while later, the vehicle was spotted passing through Hout Bay and entering the Camps Bay area.

“Its movements were monitored by an unmarked Community Improvement District (CID) vehicle, whose members witnessed the occupants breaking into another vehicle in Link Road.

“As the suspects attempted to leave the area, volunteer Auxiliary Law Enforcement members arrived and initiated a tactical takedown on Houghton Drive. All five suspects, three women and two men, were arrested,” said Smith.

Stolen property, linking the suspects to both vehicles targeted that day, were recovered.. 

According to Smith the Auxiliary volunteers recognised one of the male suspects from previous CCTV footage. 

“Through further investigation, they were able to link him to another seven outstanding open dockets involving similar crimes committed between 2024 and 2026 across the Atlantic Seaboard.

“Every year, our Law Enforcement Auxiliary volunteers make a substantial contribution to crime prevention and arrests adding significant successes to the statistics ultimately recorded by SAPS,” said Smith.