Police in Durbanville recently arrested a suspect in Goedemoed, after he triggered a security camera installed in the area. It was later determined that he had previous arrests for copper cable theft.

“Human detection cameras have been installed across parts of Cape Town. They are triggered when they pick up human movement along a street or road, and camera operators can then determine whether or not the alert is something that requires a response from armed response or other law enforcement partners,” explains Verena Hulme, Cape Town North district manager at Fidelity ADT.

It was one of these cameras, she adds, that picked up an unidentified person pushing a shopping trolley past it late at night (after 11pm). Camera operators alerted armed response officers in the area and asked them to investigate.

“Officers quickly located the person, and found that the trolley had a large cement slab inside. Durbanville SAPS were called to the scene, and they took the suspect away for questioning,” says Hulme.

“The camera network has proved its worth in the fight against crime. I remind residents to raise the alarm whenever they see any suspicious activity in their suburbs or in any cases of criminal activity. These cameras are often a vital way in which law enforcement and security companies can quickly track down and apprehend suspects before they can get away.”