A tip-off by alert residents in Elsie’s River, Cape Town, led to the arrest of five men and a woman suspected of having robbed an ATM in the Strand area on Friday, police said.

Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said residents became suspicious about a vehicle in their neighbourhood and contacted police.

Police spotted the vehicle, searched it and found money in it.

“A preliminary investigation was conducted and it revealed that the suspects had been involved in an ATM cutting incident that occurred in the Strand area earlier,” said Rwexana.

The six were arrested and are expected to appear in court soon.

Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula commended members of the community for the role they played in the arrest.

Elsie’s River was visited by President Jacob Zuma and Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula and his deputy Bongani Mkongi last year after the murder of 3-year-old Courtney Pieters.

The community was up in arms over policing in the area, and they were promised better policing, with the arrival of a mobile police station to bolster the community’s own initiatives at making their streets safer.