Neighbour foils burglary

Police dog-unit officers arrested three men for trying to force their way into a Glenwood home.

Three men tried to break into the Pinewood Street home on Thursday August 4, just before 1pm, by bending a security gate, but a neighbour spotted them and called the police. The would-be burglars fled in a white Toyota Etios, said Goodwood police spokesman Captain Waynne Theunis.

Soon afterwards, the dog unit officers pulled the car over. Unaware of the earlier burglary attempt in Pinewood Street, the officers called the Goodwood police station to do a background check on the men. As it happened, the homeowner was also at the station opening a case. The officers immediately arrested the three men. Aged between 18 and 27, they were due to appear in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court on Monday August 8.

Captain Theunis praised the community for being observant.

Dirk van der Berg, from Goodwood Armed Patrols (GAP), said the incident was one of several reported recently in the neighbourhood, although there had been more attempted burglaries than successful ones.

“The reason for this is that community has become way more alert – steering the criminals away.”

He urged residents to keep their homes secure at all times.

“People shouldn’t just take it for granted that their homes are safe. Even if you are just going to the shops, please activate your alarms,” he said.

GAP now has three cars in Glenwood and Tygerdal during peak times, between 10am and 3pm and between 5.30pm and 8pm.

Brian Lawson, the chairman of the Goodwood Ratepayers’ Association, said he had not heard about the attempted burglary, but he was pleased the police had arrested the men.