Robber’s bad day gets worse
A convicted criminal tried to end his life after being arrested for hijacking and common robbery, last week.
The 35-year-old man, who served a six-year sentence for armed robbery, tried to escape the justice system by hanging himself with a torn blanket, in the holding cells, at the Brakpan Police Station.
His attempt was unsuccessful.
The law-breaker’s latest run-in with police unfolded when he allegedly robbed a 55-year-old man of cash, on Thursday morning.
According to Capt Joep Joubert, spokesperson for the Brakpan Police Station commander, the complainant withdrew a large a sum of cash at a bank in the Mall@Carnival at about 11am.
“The man was driving back to work, when he noticed someone on the back of his bakkie,” said Joubert.
“The bakkie had empty drums on the back and the suspect was throwing them off.”
Joubert told the Herald that the driver immediately stopped and got out of the bakkie, to confront his unwanted passenger.
“The suspect, however, jumped off the back, climbed into the bakkie and drove off,” said Joubert.
But this was not the last the robber would see of his victim, as the man managed to hold on to the vehicle and climb onto the back.
“When the suspect stopped the bakkie along Derby Avenue, the man got back into the vehicle and the pair started wrestling,” said Joubert.
During the tussle, the robber grabbed the man’s bag containing the cash and fled the scene.
“He jumped over the walls of several homes in the vicinity, trying to escape,” said Joubert.
“When he thought no one was looking, he casually emerged, walking out of a property.”
He was apprehended by members of the public who had witnessed the incident, and handed over to police, who arrived shortly afterwards.
“Police seized all the cash, which was handed back to the victim,” said Joubert.
Following his failed suicide bid, the man appeared in the Brakpan Magistrates Court on Friday, last week, on charges of hijacking and common robbery.
The case was postponed to today (Friday).
Joubert thanked the community for their assistance in catching the robber, but warned the public to be cautious when doing so.
“Some suspects are armed,” he said.
He also warned residents to be careful when withdrawing large amounts of money.
“There is a strong possibility that this was a bank following,” he said.
“Always be on the lookout for suspicious people or vehicles when withdrawing money.”
