Arrest Following Break-in at Aspen Substation
Crime
Arrest Following Break-in at Aspen Substation
On Saturday afternoon, Atlas Security received a panic activation at the Aspen Pharmacare substation in Neave Industrial. Information from the client confirmed that three suspects had forced entry by cutting through the perimeter fence with a bolt cutter.
Our response officers arrived within minutes and observed the suspects exiting the premises through the same fence and fleeing into nearby bushes. Backup was requested, and officers immediately began tracking the suspects on foot, while the RIU team moved into position along Lindsey Roadside to cut them off.
Despite the suspects initially slipping through, our team maintained pursuit with updated descriptions provided by the first officer on scene. The chase continued across multiple streets, with the suspects moving towards Keeton Road and then onto the N2 highway in the direction of New Brighton.
At this point, the group split up. One suspect ran towards a block of flats, while another attempted to escape by climbing down into the water channel running alongside Continental Tyres. Recognising the difficulty of escaping from the canal, officers concentrated their efforts on containing this suspect.
Tracking him along the canal from Uitenhage Road towards Eveready Bridge, Atlas Security response units blocked off all possible exit points, coordinating vehicles on the N2, the bridge above, and the surrounding roadways. With no escape route left, the suspect was detained safely near the Everedy Bridge and handed over to SAPS without injury.
The second suspect managed to get away, but the arrest marked an important breakthrough. The client positively identified the suspect as one of those seen on CCTV footage from the break-in. On site, officers also discovered cut power cables abandoned by the suspects, which were recovered and handed to SAPS as evidence.
It has since been confirmed that the detained suspect is wanted in connection with other serious crimes, including hijackings and robberies. A criminal case has been opened.
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