The Bedfordview SAPS corporate communications officer, Sergeant Mduduzi Nhlabathi, said the man has also been linked to at least one case where a person was followed from the airport and robbed in Bedfordview.
Sgt Nhlabathi said the man was out on bail for almost all of these cases, which were all committed in Gauteng.
On the day of his arrest, a man noticed he was being followed as he was returning from the airport. He then drove into the Bedfordview Police Station to report the suspicious vehicle.
Sgt Nhlabathi said the man gave the police a description of the car that had been following him.
“When the man drove into the police station, the car which was following him drove past and the police followed it. Noticing they were being followed, its occupants tried to flee. At the same time, its occupants shot at the police and the police returned fire. The driver lost control and hit the barriers at the intersection of Boeing Road East and Concord Road,” Sgt Nhlabathi said. Three men were arrested at the scene. One of them was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
At the time of going to print the man was in a stable condition under police guard in hospital.
“The Toyota Corolla the men were driving was reported hijacked in Boksburg recently,” said Sgt Nhlabathi.
Gauteng SAPS has established a task team to deal with robberies involving people being followed from OR International Airport. People are robbed as they enter their property, accommodation or on the highways around Bedfordview, Edenvale and Johannesburg East areas.
Sgt Nhlabathi urged motorists to be vigilant when driving.
“When you are followed by a suspicious a car, take safety precautions before it is too late. Drive to a public place like a police station. If it is too far to drive to a place of safety, inform someone about it. Police will investigate and take the necessary steps. It is not a crime to feel insecure so you will not be charged if it turns out there was nothing to worry about,” Sgt Nhlabathi said.
