Otjiwarongo police wield CCTV to nab trio after tourist heist

Three suspects aged 25, 33 and 34 have been arrested after allegedly robbing an American couple of cash, passports and other belongings at a hotel in Otjiwarongo on Monday afternoon.

Otjozondjupa police spokesperson Senior Inspector Maureen Mbeha said the suspects were arrested shortly before Kalkfeld after police used CCTV footage to track the vehicle they used to flee the town.

The incident happened shortly after 13:00, when the couple, a 59-year-old man and his 53-year-old wife, were robbed of their belongings.

Mbeha said the suspects then attempted to flee in a vehicle along Langstrad Avenue, a route leading towards Kalkfeld and Outjo.

“Immediately the police were informed, and we engaged our counterparts who are operating the CCTVs that are surveilling Otjiwarongo town,” Mbeha said.

Police established through the surveillance footage that the vehicle was heading towards Kalkfeld.

The Kalkfeld police station was then contacted and a mobile roadblock set up, resulting in the three suspects being arrested shortly before they reached the town.

Mbeha said all the property allegedly stolen from the tourists was recovered, including US$800 in cash, some euros, and laptop bags containing various belongings, including the couple's passports.

The couple recovered their belongings and were described by police as happy with the outcome.

Be vigilant

The suspects remain in police custody in Otjiwarongo and are expected to appear in court this week.

Mbeha said the arrests demonstrated the role CCTV surveillance can play in responding to crime in the region. She warned criminals against targeting Otjiwarongo and other towns in Otjozondjupa, saying police would use the available surveillance systems to track suspects, and urged tourists to be vigilant when parking their vehicles.

"Before they leave the vehicle they should make sure that there is no suspicious movement next to their car," Mbeha said.

CCTV footage showed the hatchback allegedly used by the suspects parking next to the tourists' vehicle shortly before the couple arrived, and police suspect they may have followed the couple from a nearby location where they had first spotted them.