| Off-duty police officer arrest housebreaking suspect: Swartkops | |
|---|---|
| Date Published: | 2021/03/02 |
| Description Details: | |
Media Statement PORT ELIZABETH - When a community is aware that a law enforcement officer is living among them, they entrust their safety into the hands of such an officer therefore a police official is never off duty. This is exactly what happened on Wednesday, 24 February 2021 in Bluewater Bay when W/O George “Frikkie’ Vermaak was off duty and was driving on the N2 when at about 10:00 he got a frantic call from his neighbour, Mr Ray Marsh who informed him that an unknown male had just confronted his wife. The said male had jumped over the boundary wall and was moving between Maureen Circle and Riverside Drive. Immediately W/O Vermaak from the Nelson Mandela Bay Operational Command Centre turned around and headed back to Bluewater Bay to assist his neighbour. The area was thoroughly searched but the suspect could not be found. At about 11:00, Marsh once again phoned him and informed him that he heard a woman screaming at the back of his house. Both Marsh and W/O Vermaak headed in the direction of the screams but could not find anything. As he was standing in a yard in Riverside Road, he heard a noise in the garage and peeped inside. He saw a man trying to jump through the window. The clothing description matched the description given to him in the morning. As the suspect climbed through the window, W/O Vermaak tackled him. During the scuffle, W/O Vermaak felt a hot sensation in his back – he was stabbed. The suspect managed to grapple free and ran straight into Marsh. Both Marsh and W/O Vermaak grappled with the suspect once again. After some time, they managed to get the knife from him. When a private security officer arrived, the suspect was handcuffed. It was confirmed that he had broken into a house in Riverside Road. Jewellery to the approximate value of R10 000-00 was found in his possession. W/O Vermaak received 12 stitches on his back. The suspect, Mangaliso Mzileni (30) was detained on a charge of housebreaking and attempted murder and appeared in the Port Elizabeth magistrate court on Friday, 26 February 2021. His next appearance in court is on 09 March 2021 for a formal bail application. . Acting Mount Road Cluster Commander, Brig Thandiswa Kupiso commended both W/O Vermaak and the civilian, Ray Marsh for their brave actions and response to the situation. “Traits such as integrity and bravery are what makes a police official earn the trust and confidence of the communities. The actions of both men are commendable as they risked their lives to make sure that the criminal was apprehended. Execution of their daily tasks with service excellence is what contributes to professional policing,” added Brig Kupiso. Ends
Enquiries:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService
| |
| Attachments: | |