The hard work and vigilance of two Campus Protection Services (CPS) officers has led to the apprehension and arrest of seven suspects involved in recent attempted car thefts.

Patrolmen Siyabulela Mini and Nolan Louw were responsible for alerting police when five male suspects were seen breaking into a vehicle close to Liesbeeck Gardens.

Four of the five suspects were arrested and the vehicle was recovered.

In another incident, the officers notified police when three suspects were seen breaking into a vehicle outside Rose Court. Their swift action led to the arrest of all three suspects.

"These incidents indicate the importance of being alert," said CPS deputy operations manager Alain Snyman. "It not only allows us to react promptly, which in this case lead to significant arrests, but it also improves our awareness of what is going on in the area.

"Visible items in cars continue to attract criminals so make sure things like CD loaders, tape decks and bags are locked away in the boot. Officers continue to find vehicles unlocked and we ask the university community to close their windows and make use of their gear locks," he added.

Snyman said that, together with vehicle thefts, residence crimes remain a priority area for CPS.

"With a large percentage of crimes occurring in residences, we urge students to remain vigilant when it comes to locking their doors and windows, even when stepping out for just a few minutes.

"Similarly, don't allow anyone to 'tailgate' behind you when entering or leaving the residence. Each person is required to swipe their security card when entering an access-controlled building."