Illovo Beach hijacking, police in shootout with suspects, wound one

South African Police Service

Illovo Beach hijacking, police in shootout with suspects, wound one
Illovo Beach hijacking, police in shootout with suspects, wound one

Over the past weekend of 14 september 2019, police officers performing stabilisation operations were strategically deployed at hotspots in various police precincts. Due to the deployments having been informed by a crime threat analysis, police were able to respond immediately to crimes reported in close proximity of the deployments.

In Durban Central, police were conducting their operations in the Durban Central Business District on 14 September 2019, when they were stopped by a victim of robbery at Margaret Mcadi Avenue. After interviewing the victim and getting a proper description of the suspect, police officers conducted a search for the men. The victim who was also with the police officers, spotted the two suspects in close vicinity of the scene of crime.

Police pounced on the men and searched them. They were found in possession of a knife and a car remote jamming device. The two suspects were arrested and charged with robbery, possession of dangerous weapons and possession of car breaking implements.

In another incident, a vehicle which was hijacked in Amanzimtoti was recovered on the same day at Umkomaas on 14 september 2019. The two victims were at a well-known braai spot at Illovo Beach when they were attacked by four suspects. They were robbed of their personal belongings including bank cards. The suspects demanded their pin codes which they later used to withdraw cash from the victim’s bank accounts.

The suspects left the scene with the victim’s vehicle as well as their getaway vehicle. Police were notified of the robbery and alerted police officers at surrounding police stations to be on the lookout for the suspects.

The hijacked vehicle was spotted at Umkomaas a short while later and a shootout ensued between the police officers and the suspects. One of the suspects was arrested after he was wounded during the shootout. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The hijacked vehicle was also recovered by police. The arrested suspect will face charges for being in possession of a stolen vehicle and robbery.

South Africa Today – South Africa News

SOURCESouth African Police Service