Robbers arrested in Verulam shootout
Three suspects were arrested in a shoot-out between a private security company and robbers in Verulam.
|||Durban - Three robbers were arrested, one of them wounded, in a wild shoot-out between a private security company and robbers in Verulam on Thursday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) guards had responded to a robbery in progress in Everest Heights, north of Durban.
The victim was inside her bedroom when she heard noises outside the house, said police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane. She then heard her grandmother scream for help.
“While she was in her room she heard gunshots. One suspect was on the floor and two were apprehended by police K9 Unit. They noticed that a Samsung flat screen TV, jewellery, CCTV and cash was stolen,” Zwane said.
Prem Balram, spokesman for Rusa, said they got a distress call from a businessman that his 17-year-old daughter had seen men with guns enter the home.
“The robbers were holding a 65-year-old woman and domestic worker hostage. When we arrived, a lady indicated to us through her bedroom window that the robbers were still inside,” he said.
Balram went to the side of the house when one of the robbers fired several shots.
He said he returned fire when a second robber appeared from around the corner and also fired at him.
“The robbers used their getaway vehicle, a Chev Cruze, as cover and continued firing at officers who returned fire, hitting the vehicle 35 times. The shoot-out lasted for several minutes. The robbers managed to flee the property over the back wall,” Balram said.
Officers pursued the robbers on foot and in response vehicles. One suspect was found hiding on an adjacent property. He had two bullet wounds, one in his face and a second in his chest.
“The police K9 Unit tracked and arrested two robbers hiding in a bush in Shari Drive. One of them was found in possession of a remote which was used to open the driveway gates to the home that was robbed,” Balram said.
The fourth robber managed to evade arrest and escaped with a handbag containing R20 000 in cash.
The robbers abandoned their vehicle at the scene.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za
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