Locator software blazes trail to stolen goods.
THREE burglars were outsmarted by technology, leading police straight to them when they stole gadgets installed with a locator app. The men – aged 22, 23 and 24 and said to specialise in stealing hi-tech electronic equipment – were arrested in North End and Vincent respectively after leaving police a cyber trail.
A fourth man, who shot at police in Vincent, is still on the run.
Police believe an arrest will be made soon.
The man, believed to be armed and dangerous, was last seen limping from a suspected gunshot towards the underground parking of the Vincent Park shopping centre.
The drama unfolded on Wednesday night when a thief broke into the home of a 58-year-old woman in Beacon Bay and stole an Apple iPad and a Samsung Galaxy phone.
It is alleged the man had scaled a wall at about 5pm to gain entry to the property. The woman pressed the panic button and the thief fled – but not without grabbing the two gadgets. A Golf 6 GTI was reportedly waiting outside the house. The thief allegedly jumped in and disappeared.
When police arrived the woman’s 28-year-old son said he could help them track the stolen items down.
The son, who asked that he not be named for personal safety reasons, told police that his mother’s iPad could be tracked using the “Find My iPhone” application via the Internet.
He logged onto the application using his phone and soon picked up the signal for the iPad.
It was at a petrol station in Mdantsane. activated his iPhone and picked up the signal of the stolen iPad in Mdantsane petrol station.
Police called for backup units from the Fleet Street and Buffalo Flats stations and pursued the signal. The son joined police in the pursuit.
“As we were leaving Beacon Bay with the police, we saw the signal moving back to East London on the N2 road. We waited until the signal stopped in Vincent Park. When we proceeded, the signal moved to the direction of the CBD,” the son said.
The police finally caught up with the car at the intersection of St Johns and Beaconsfield roads.
“Police questioned them about the whereabouts of the iPad and the two guys who were sitting in the car said they knew nothing about the items,” said the son.
Fortunately, the application that tracked the signal has a “play a sound” option, which the young man pressed.
In the boot of the suspect’s car a sound went off. The astonished men were immediately arrested.
“I still cannot believe the entire incident. I felt like I was in a movie. The police were very impressive.
“There was a time where we were doing 160km/h down Oxford Street chasing the guys,” said the son.
He said he pressed the “play a sound” option on his phone that automatically triggered the iPad to ring on the boot of the Golf. The suspects were immediately arrested.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said that while still on the scene the two men told police they did not act alone.
He said they then led police to Vincent, where another two men had reportedly been waiting.
“When we approached, they shot at police and police returned fire with the purpose of stopping the suspect’s vehicle from fleeing,” Marais said, adding that the tyres of the vehicle were shot.
Police managed to arrest one man in the passenger seat but the driver of the vehicle fled the scene with the firearm.
Marais said the three arrested men would appear in the East London Magistrate Court today on(SUBS:FRIDAY) where they will face charges of housebreaking and theft. According to Marais, police may be able to link the three to a spate of break-ins that occurred in and around East London’s affluent communities.
He said: “Police would like to convey their appreciation to the complainant for the good initiative that he undertook.”
“We are encouraging members of the public to emulate the complainant by installing software applications that can assist the police in recovering their stolen items in no time.”
He said Beacon Bay police, who had come under fire from the public for lack of service delivery, were now delivering.
The station established a task team last month aimed at curbing housebreakings, and earlier this month also arrested two people in possession of household goods valued at R200000. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
POLICE in East London responded to a house breaking and subsequent shooting incident on Wednesday night that had a happy ending.
The incident ended with the arrest of three suspects who had been wanted in connection with a spate of house break-ins around East London suburbs.
The incident started at 5pm when a suspect climbed a wall and broke into a house of a 58-year-old Beacon Bay woman. Police said once inside he stole an Apple iPad and a Samsung Galaxy cellphone.
He fled the scene when the woman pressed a panic button alerting securities. He
‘Find me’ app leads cops to suspects
THREE burglars were outsmarted by technology, leading police straight to them when they stole gadgets installed with a locator app. The men – aged 22, 23 and 24 and said to specialise in stealing hi-tech electronic equipment – were arrested in North End and Vincent respectively after leaving police a cyber trail.
A fourth man, who shot at police in Vincent, is still on the run.
Police believe an arrest will be made soon.
The man, believed to be armed and dangerous, was last seen limping from a suspected gunshot towards the underground parking of the Vincent Park shopping centre.
The drama unfolded on Wednesday night when a thief broke into the home of a 58-year-old woman in Beacon Bay and stole an Apple iPad and a Samsung Galaxy phone.
It is alleged the man had scaled a wall at about 5pm to gain entry to the property. The woman pressed the panic button and the thief fled – but not without grabbing the two gadgets. A Golf 6 GTI was reportedly waiting outside the house. The thief allegedly jumped in and disappeared.
When police arrived the woman’s 28-year-old son said he could help them track the stolen items down.
The son, who asked that he not be named for personal safety reasons, told police that his mother’s iPad could be tracked using the “Find My iPhone” application via the Internet.
He logged onto the application using his phone and soon picked up the signal for the iPad.
It was at a petrol station in Mdantsane. activated his iPhone and picked up the signal of the stolen iPad in Mdantsane petrol station.
Police called for backup units from the Fleet Street and Buffalo Flats stations and pursued the signal. The son joined police in the pursuit.
“As we were leaving Beacon Bay with the police, we saw the signal moving back to East London on the N2 road. We waited until the signal stopped in Vincent Park. When we proceeded, the signal moved to the direction of the CBD,” the son said.
The police finally caught up with the car at the intersection of St Johns and Beaconsfield roads.
“Police questioned them about the whereabouts of the iPad and the two guys who were sitting in the car said they knew nothing about the items,” said the son.
Fortunately, the application that tracked the signal has a “play a sound” option, which the young man pressed.
In the boot of the suspect’s car a sound went off. The astonished men were immediately arrested.
“I still cannot believe the entire incident. I felt like I was in a movie. The police were very impressive.
“There was a time where we were doing 160km/h down Oxford Street chasing the guys,” said the son.
He said he pressed the “play a sound” option on his phone that automatically triggered the iPad to ring on the boot of the Golf. The suspects were immediately arrested.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said that while still on the scene the two men told police they did not act alone.
He said they then led police to Vincent, where another two men had reportedly been waiting.
“When we approached, they shot at police and police returned fire with the purpose of stopping the suspect’s vehicle from fleeing,” Marais said, adding that the tyres of the vehicle were shot.
Police managed to arrest one man in the passenger seat but the driver of the vehicle fled the scene with the firearm.
Marais said the three arrested men would appear in the East London Magistrate Court today on(SUBS:FRIDAY) where they will face charges of housebreaking and theft. According to Marais, police may be able to link the three to a spate of break-ins that occurred in and around East London’s affluent communities.
He said: “Police would like to convey their appreciation to the complainant for the good initiative that he undertook.”
“We are encouraging members of the public to emulate the complainant by installing software applications that can assist the police in recovering their stolen items in no time.”
He said Beacon Bay police, who had come under fire from the public for lack of service delivery, were now delivering.
The station established a task team last month aimed at curbing housebreakings, and earlier this month also arrested two people in possession of household goods valued at R200000. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
POLICE in East London responded to a house breaking and subsequent shooting incident on Wednesday night that had a happy ending.
The incident ended with the arrest of three suspects who had been wanted in connection with a spate of house break-ins around East London suburbs.
The incident started at 5pm when a suspect climbed a wall and broke into a house of a 58-year-old Beacon Bay woman. Police said once inside he stole an Apple iPad and a Samsung Galaxy cellphone.
He fled the scene when the woman pressed a panic button alerting securities. He
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