How keen is my valley? Try commit a crime and you'll find out

Would-be criminals might be well advised to give the Constantia valley a wide berth.

Within minutes of a resident reporting a man pulling a young girl by the arm into Cecilia Forest on Monday‚ 100 volunteer patrollers went into action.

They were joined by police officers‚ Table Mountain National Park rangers with their dog unit‚ armed response officers and a police helicopter.

“It really was an outstanding response‚” said Mike Voortman‚ chairman of the Constantia Valley Watch Association‚ adding that the operation was jointly coordinated by the police and the association control room.

“We are relieved to report that the incident ... turned out to be a father taking the daughter by the hand and going for a walk.”

Voortman said although it had been a false alarm — it was thought the father had been pulling his daughter away from a busy road — the response was typical of what was achieved thanks to a network of more than 400 radios and several WhatsApp groups.

“There was a similar response some months back when we had an armed robbery‚” he said. “When the chips are down‚ the valley community springs into action.”