Crime seems to be on the rise again since the easing of lockdown restrictions.
A Fidelity security officer was doing a routine patrol in an office park in Fourways on June 2 at 3.45am when he spotted two men cutting the office park’s Clear Vu fencing.
The officer notified the control room and requested backup.
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“The Fidelity Fourways Mall reaction vehicle responded and spotted the suspects’ parked vehicle on William Nicol Drive.
“Upon seeing the reaction vehicle, the suspects drove off at a high speed in the direction of Diepsloot,” said Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group.
Bartmann confirmed that one of the suspects opened fire on the Fidelity reaction vehicle and officers returned fire, injuring one suspect.
The suspects’ vehicle drove over an island outside the Indaba Hotel on William Nicol Drive and the three suspects fled on foot in different directions.
The wounded suspect attempted to flee, but was apprehended. He was transported to hospital.
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Bartmann said it is unconfirmed at this stage if any of the other suspects were injured as they managed to flee.
“We are definitely starting to see an increase in crime levels during Level 3 and remind all residents and business owners to remain vigilant.
“Crime levels dropped substantially during the initial weeks of lockdown, but we have started to see a steady rise as the economy opens up again and people become more mobile,” said Bartmann.
In a separate incident, a robbery on Eloff Street in Johannesburg this morning (June 2) left two people injured.
ER24 paramedics, along with Medi Response, arrived on the scene to find the local authorities already in attendance.
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Two men, believed to be the suspects, were found inside a shop.
One man had sustained a gunshot wound to his head leaving him in a critical condition, while the other man had sustained serious injuries to his head.
“Medics treated the patients and provided them with advanced life support interventions before they were transported to a nearby hospital for further care,” said Russel Meiring, communications officer for ER24.
Local authorities were on the scene for further investigation.
