Robbery suspect who shot himself on escaping arrested after girlfriend breaks curfew
By accidentally shooting himself when confronted by officers in Hanover Park after an alleged robbery, a suspect made it so much easier to apprehend him.
If only his girlfriend hadn’t broken the lockdown curfew, he would perhaps still be a free man after he had managed to escape the officers. Later the same day, the officers stopped a vehicle outside the curfew and the woman revealed her boyfriend had been shot.
This resulted in him being arrested for attempted murder at the Heideveld Emergency Centre.
The robbery suspect was among 143 people arrested by the City of Cape Town’s enforcement departments, which issued more than 35 000 fines the past few days.
’’Crime doesn’t pay and our officers ensure criminals are brought to book. It’s not often our jobs are made easy, but in this case a robber shot himself while taking aim at our officers,“ the City’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, said in a statement on Monday.
Officers attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) were on patrol in Hanover Park on Friday when they were approached by a woman who had just been robbed.
’’A few minutes later, they approached a man fitting the description given by the complainant. When he saw the officers, he fired at them and as he ran away, he fell to the ground and another shot went off.
’’The officers took cover and the suspect got away,’’ Smith said.
’’Later that night, the officers stopped a vehicle outside the curfew and the woman revealed her boyfriend had been shot.
’’He turned out to be the robber who had fired on the officers and officers arrested him at the Heideveld Emergency Centre. It just so happens that he shot himself when he fell,’ said Smith.
When he was discharged, he showed officers where he had hidden the gun. He was arrested for attempted murder and taken to Philippi police station.
Smith said it has been a quiet start to the week as they have had no reports of any taxi violence or incidents, with a major taxi route being closed and talks starting between the warring taxi factions.
’’Schools reopened today and we are keeping a close eye on scholar transport and remain vigilant for any incidents that could arise,’’ said Smith.
The City’s Traffic Service arrested 25 suspects, impounded 12 vehicles, 136 cellphones, and issued 33 756 fines.
’’During the past week, officers issued 1 630 fines for contravention of the disaster regulations and 1 469 for not wearing masks. Our officers cannot choose which laws to enforce and those who don’t obey, will be fined or arrested,’ said Alderman Smith.
On Sunday, Metro Police officers responded to a complaint in Khayelitsha of a tuck shop being robbed. Two men were caught with the stolen goods in their possession and arrested.
On Friday, a 54-year-old man was arrested at a vehicle checkpoint in Parklands for driving drunk, while another drunk driver was arrested in Khayelitsha on the same day.
-IOL
In other news – Shona Ferguson fighting for his life in ICU
Actor, filmmaker, and actor Shona Ferguson is fighting for his life after undergoing a heart operation at a private hospital in Joburg.
The 47-year old actor who is also husband to actress Connie Ferguson was admitted more than a week ago to Milpark private hospital where he is currently in intensive care unit (ICU). Learn More
