WATCH: ‘Thieves’ caught on camera walking off with Kenilworth traffic light - IOL

Three men were filmed walking off with a traffic light in Kenilworth on Tuesday night.

Three men allegedly tried to make off with an entire traffic light after it was knocked down in a crash at a busy intersection, but their brazen theft was caught on camera.

Within minutes of the footage being reported on Tuesday night, the trio were tracked down and arrested, with the street light recovered. 

It is understood the traffic light had been knocked over during an earlier motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Rosmead Avenue and Wetton Road.

Ward 63 councillor Carmen Siebritz said she received footage of the alleged theft from a resident at around 9.43pm.

“I immediately reported it to LE (Law Enforcement), Metro, SAPS and all private security partners in the ward,” she said.

And within minutes, the suspects were reportedly caught.

“At 22h09, suspects were caught and apprehended,” Siebritz said.

She said Zone Security arrived first and ensured the suspects could not flee, before SAPS and Law Enforcement officers arrived and made the arrests.

She confirmed that the traffic light was recovered and shared pictures online of the three male suspects being loaded into the back of a van.

Siebritz praised the resident who reported the incident, saying the quick response showed what could be achieved when communities and law enforcement worked together.

“The hero in the story, of course, is none other than the resident who knew that reporting it was the right thing to do,” she said.

Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that Wynberg SAPS attended an accident at the intersection earlier that evening.

“Wynberg SAPS confirms an accident at the corner of Rosmead and Wetton Road, Kenilworth involving a white Honda and a silver Hyundai. Damages reported was the vehicles involved and the infrastructure. An accident report was registered," he said.

Van Wyk did not respond to questions about the alleged theft of the traffic light or the reported arrests.

The City of Cape Town was also approached for comment but no response was received at the time of publication.