PE K9-unit nab six alleged thieves at the weekend

The Port Elizabeth K9 unit had a busy weekend, with their three police dogs nabbing six thieves over a 48-hour period.

Port Elizabeth police dog, Max, a three-year-old German shepherd, and his handler Sergeant Adriaan Oosthuizen arrested three would-be thieves - only 12 hours apart.

In the latest incident, Max tackled a fleeing suspect who was trying to steal a car battery from a Range Rover which is believed to have broken down along the N2, just before the Stanford Road on-ramp.

The Range Rover is registered to a Pretoria-based business, which appears to have closed.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the vehicle was found abandoned shortly before 5am on Sunday on the grass verge near the Stanford Road on-ramp.

“The K9 unit members were driving past when they spotted the car. They stopped to assist when they saw that the front passenger side window was shattered.

“As they approached the vehicle, a man started to run across the grass field towards Livingstone Hospital.

“Police gave chase but the suspected failed to stop despite several warnings. Max was released and tackled the 33-year-old man,” she said.

“On inspection of the vehicle is was found that the suspect had removed the vehicle grill and was trying to remove the car battery.”

Naidu said detectives were still trying to locate the owner.

“No valuables were found inside the vehicle and it is unclear how the vehicle ended up alongside the N2.

“Leads are being followed up by detectives but the car is fitted with Gauteng license plates and is not yet reported stolen,” she said.

The arrest comes only five hours after Max tackled another suspect who had broken into a cellphone tower in McHardy Street, Kensington, shortly before midnight on Sunday.

“Police responded to a tip-off about suspects breaking into a secure site housing cellphone tower equipment. They arrived and found that the thieves had broken through the palisade fencing surrounding the tower,” she said.

“As police arrived, an unknown number of suspects scattered in different directions.

“Max was released and managed to nab one of the suspects, a 21-year-old, who was trying to run across a nearby school field,” she said.

“Several other suspects managed to escape. A kit bag was found on the scene containing implements used to break into the site.”

Earlier this year, police said cellphone tower battery theft as a major national problem – costing companies millions of rand every month.

On Sunday midday, police dog Mufasa, together with Sergeant Damian Theron, tackled a man who had allegedly broken into the quarry near Greenbushes.

“He was spotted walking along the road with two others. Police stopped and the men ran into the nearby bushes. Mufasa was released and managed to catch one of the suspects,” Naidu said.

On Friday night police dog Jack and handler Sergeant Volente Baatjies managed to catch three suspects allegedly breaking into Nelson Mandela University Missionale Campus.

“Part of the roofing of one of the classroom areas had been removed prompting security to alert the police.

"Jack was placed in one of the classrooms and found two of the suspects hiding under a table. A third suspect was found hiding in nearby classroom,” Naidu added.

Three weeks ago, Max and Oosthuizen nabbed two alleged cable thieves who attempted to dig up cables in the bushes near Rensburg Street in Bethelsdorp.

All six suspects will appear in either the Port Elizabeth and New Brighton magistrate's courts on Monday and Tuesday.