The City’s Metro Police arrested three smash-and-grab suspects in Matroosfontein at the weekend. Officers were reportedly alerted to a smash-and-grab on Borchard’s Quarry Road and Bahrain Drive on Saturday afternoon.
On arrival, the three suspects fled in different directions, but they were later apprehended. According to the City’s Safety and Security Directorate, one suspect was found in possession of the driver’s cellphone.
The suspects, who were reportedly found to be minors, were handed over to Bishop Lavis SAPS and Social Development was notified. The suspects will face charges of theft out of a motor vehicle and malicious damage.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says these latest arrests bring the total number of smash-and-grab suspects arrested over the past five weeks to at least 11.
According to Smith, the arrests underpin ongoing City efforts to safeguard Cape Town’s highway network and other major arterial routes.
“We’ve continued to enhance our freeway management measures, both through increased human resources and by also introducing drone flights to augment our existing camera network and supporting efforts on the ground. This has resulted in fewer incidents of a criminal nature, but random, opportunistic crimes remain a challenge, and we acknowledge that safety remains a concern for the public,”
Earlier this month, officers arrested 6 suspects in separate incidents in Elsies River and Langa. In the first incident on 2 September, officers arrested five smash-and-grab suspects in Elsies River during a joint operation with SAPS, supported by the City’s drone team.
A week later, on 9 September, a suspect who attacked a motorist on Jakes Gerwel Drive was arrested in Langa, after being identified through CCTV.
Meanwhile, in August, the City’s enforcement services arrested two suspects for smash-and-grab incidents along the N2, as part of the dedicated freeway safety deployment.
According to the City, while Jakes Gerwel Drive between the N2 and Bofors Circle remains a hotspot, incidents reported to the Public Emergency Communication Centre highlight Elsies River and its surrounds as areas to watch, particularly Epping Avenue and Jan Van Riebeeck Drive.
Smith added that smash-and-grab crimes are also present on other parts of the road network. In the 2025/26 financial year, the City’s CCTV network detected 246 smash-and-grab incidents.
“We do not have a full picture of the extent of smash-and-grab incidents, as many incidents go unreported. But the reality is that criminals will continue their brazen ways, particularly where they can make a quick getaway, which is what many of the hotspots offer,’ added Smith
According to the City, it is using available data to help shape deployment and operations in partnership with SAPS to track down perpetrators where possible, as was successfully done recently in Elsies River and Langa.
The City has, however, reminded motorists that they can help reduce the risk of smash-and-grab incidents by keeping valuables out of sight and not on seats inside the vehicle, locking all doors and closing windows.
“Be cautious, be vigilant, and be aware of your surroundings. Be wary of people loitering about at traffic lights or intersections. Be aware of people attempting to give you pamphlets or sell you goods, as not all are legitimate vendors.”
