Three men fleeing from a service station after allegedly using a cloned bank card overturned their vehicle this afternoon while attempting to evade arrest. The incident occurred after the suspects tried to run a Reaction Officer off the road on Watson Highway in Tongaat.
Fraudulent Fuel Purchase Sparks Pursuit
The suspects reportedly paid for fuel at a Shakaskraal service station using a cloned bank card. When attendants attempted to stop them, they sped off in a blue Toyota Avanza. The business owner pursued the suspects along the R102, prompting a call to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) for assistance.
High-Speed Chase Ends in Crash
RUSA officers patrolling in Umhlanga were alerted at 20:34 after the suspects turned onto the N2 northbound. In a desperate bid to escape, the driver bypassed a closed boom at the Tongaat Toll Plaza and diverted onto Watson Highway.
As Reaction Officers from Tongaat and Ballito moved to intercept the vehicle, one officer traveling in the opposite direction spotted the speeding Avanza being chased by the service station owner. The suspect swerved into the oncoming lane in an attempt to force the officer off the road.
The Reaction Officer managed to avoid a collision, but the suspect lost control, struck a tree, and overturned. The three men were trapped inside the wreckage and sustained moderate to severe injuries.
Syndicate Suspected in Multiple Fraud Cases
Ethekwini Fire & Rescue Services were called to extricate the suspects, who were later taken into custody. Authorities believe they are part of a syndicate specializing in cloned bank card fraud and may be linked to multiple cases across the region.
Investigations are ongoing, and further details will be released as they become available.
