WATCH: Police swoop in on wanted suspect at PE airport

CCTV footage has emerged of heavily armed police swooping in on a wanted suspect as he was returning a rental car to the Port Elizabeth airport last week.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said members of the police’s organised crime unit caught the suspect off guard after staking out the parking area where a number of rental companies park the vehicles.

CCTV footage from the outside of the airport show a number of police officers, some armed with R5 rifles, approach a white sedan with caution after it pulled into the parking area shortly before 2pm. The driver was arrested and the vehicle searched.

“Information about the arrest is still very sensitive at this stage. All we know is the suspect was arrested as part of a larger investigation linked to crimes committed in the Aberdeen area. After his arrest the suspect was held in the Humewood police cells before being transferred to Aberdeen,” Naidu said.

Airport Company South Africa (Acsa) said they are aware of the incident, but declined to comment.

“We are aware of the arrest taking place, but we cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation,” senior manager of corporate affairs for regional airports Senzeni Ndebele said.