Tokai attacks update

[marko35s]

A biggish update on FB regarding the apprehension and arrest earlier this year of two suspects in Tokai.

Worth a read just to give yourself a little hope that sometimes positive things do happen and that making an effort does sometimes pay off..

 

https://www.facebook.com/tokaimtb/photos/a.163720817155008.1073741826.163447820515641/816536651873418/?type=3&notif_id=1529015512683377&notif_t=page_post_reaction&ref=notif

 

On Thursday 5 April, SANParks and TokaiMTB conducted an arrest on two people believed to be linked to two separate mugging incidents that had taken place in Tokai earlier this year. Both incidents occurred with the same modus operandi and at the same location en route to the FM Antenna, known locally as “the Mast”, at the convergence of several hiking routes along the tar road, just a few weeks apart in March and February.

The two cyclists were robbed of their personal possessions in a surprise and violent encounter that matched the ruthlessness seen at the start of the year in attacks on hikers in other parts of the Park. Both incidents in Tokai were ruthless to say the least, with both victims only managing to escape serious injury through their quick thinking and fast reactions. The assailants made no initial demands, instead opting for a surprise attack that was intended to quickly neutralise their victims using force to relieve them of their possessions. There was no time in either incident for the riders to react in any way other than to instinctively block and evade the incoming attack.

Since these incidents, in an attempt to help curb crime in the various "hotspots" around the mountain, SANParks Honorary Rangers have now joined the patrols put in place by TokaiMTB & SANParks and have added several vehicles and manpower to the efforts. These patrols are closely coordinated between the three groups patrolling Tokai and in other known locations where crime has been an issue.

Measures were put in place to close any gaps allowing the criminals undetected access, and then on the morning of the 5th of April on a regular patrol of the area, TokaiMTB discovered signs of activity in the same location where both prior incidents had taken place.

On closer inspection we found footprints and tell-tale signs of vegetation disturbance. We continued tracking the footprints eventually leading us to an area providing enough potential cover for someone to wait undetected. Our close coordination with SANParks among other groups, includes direct contact with the rangers on duty in case any assistance is required and in just a few minutes, several vehicles arrived to help comb the area in search of the suspects.

The search caused the suspects to move from their cover in an attempt to evade our safety marshals and SANParks rangers. Their attempt to exit the Park lead them off the trail and towards an impassable cliff face, leaving them with no option but to turn around head back in our direction. Their explanations did not make any sense for anyone out on a “hike”, nor did they dress for the occasion, prompting further questioning and the discovery of hidden weapons including; a crude blade, a home-made hammer and some rope, all matching descriptions provided by both victims attacked in the prior weeks.

The men were subsequently arrested for possession of dangerous weapons and taken down the mountain into police custody. We have no doubt that the intervention of TokaiMTB and SANParks rangers prevented any further attacks that day.

Due to the sensitivity of the ongoing case, we cannot disclose too much about the proceedings except to say that the case against the two suspects continues with information supplied to us through our link with the Community Policing Forum (CPF). The CPF is a vital link between the police and the public which is legislated into law throughout the country. This has provided us with a two-way channel on regular updates to the case, and any alerts issued through the police that may be beneficial to keeping users safe in the mountain.

TokaiMTB has only been able to extend it’s patrols from weekends to now include Tuesday and Thursday mornings, thanks to generous monthly donations from various cycling related businesses. Private donations from members of the public have also helped cover some more of the costs of patrols and with more funds, allows us to sustain the coverage. A donation portal will be setup on our website, please do consider getting involved.

Special thanks to the following groups for their unwavering support; Bike Mob SA, Trail and Tar, Stoke Suspension Works, Freewheel Cycology and The Bike Park at Constantia Uitsig. The private donors however are not looking for any recognition, they are making their monthly contributions purely from an altruistic perspective. Thank you to all and glad to have you on-board, we are sure every cyclist, horse rider and hiker in Tokai agrees it is money directed to a worthy cause.

Our security project doesn’t end there however, TokaiMTB continues to work closely with groups and companies from all fields –from aligned safety groups and tactical response teams to technology companies focussed on cost effective safety alert devices– to help secure the area and create a model that if successful, can be rolled out to other areas too. These interventions will help monitor movements in the Park, assist with injuries but overall and most critically, help reduce response times.