CAPE TOWN – A reported kidnapping and armed robbery in Bellville on Thursday ended in a high-speed chase and foot pursuit, resulting in the dramatic arrest of three suspects. The swift response came from members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) National Intervention Unit (NIU), who were patrolling the area at the time.
According to preliminary reports, a 23-year-old man was walking along a street when he was confronted by four men who forced him into their vehicle and sped off.
“As the suspects fled, their vehicle passed members of the NIU, who were on routine patrol as part of Operation Lockdown III, a nationwide crime-fighting initiative. The officers immediately gave chase. The suspects later abandoned their vehicle in an attempt to escape on foot. Police managed to apprehend three of the four suspects, while one remains at large,” said police spokesperson Lt. Col. Amanda van Wyk.
During the arrest, officers recovered the victim’s personal belongings and seized an imitation firearm believed to have been used during the crime.
The NIU is currently deployed in the Western Cape to bolster efforts aimed at tackling drug trafficking, extortion, and gang-related violence, particularly in high-risk areas such as the Cape Flats.
Police investigations are ongoing, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest the fourth suspect.
