Hermanus police have taken a suspect into custody in relation to alleged abalone poaching. The suspect and an alleged accomplice were located in Vermont (on 4 October 2022) by a patrolling armed response officer.

“Our officer was doing routine patrols after 9 pm when he came across two unidentified men walking along Siffie Crescent carrying heavy bags. Their demeanour raised suspicion and our officer called for backup from a second Fidelity ADT Armed response vehicle, which was also patrolling the area,” explains Marius Boshoff, Hermanus branch manager for Fidelity ADT.

A member of the Alpha Neighbourhood Watch also joined to assist the officers.

“The officers stopped the men and asked to search the bags. This led to the discovery of poached abalone inside. At this point the suspects tried to run away but they were pursued by the officers,” says Boshoff.

One of the suspects stopped running and pulled out a metal bar and moved towards the officers. “One of the officers pulled his service weapon and fired a warning shot into the grass, after which the suspect dropped the bar and surrendered.”

Boshoff says the second suspect managed to evade apprehension, while Hermanus SAPS was called to the scene to take the suspect into custody.