A dramatic shoot-out took place in Paulshof between private security guards and attempted hijackers.
The attempted robbery and hijacking that took place on Tuesday evening, 3 December saw the suspects being chased through the Paulshof suburb.
According to Paula Hall, a sister of one of the victims, the robbery took place at her sister’s house in the suburb. “They came into the house, held them up, security came and there was a shoot-out. About 40 spent cartridges in my sister’s house while she, her husband and kids lay on the floor. They hijacked someone and got away.”
Kylee Gordon, a neighbour, said they were not home at the time but saw messages about the about an apparent robbery on their neighbourhood group chat, which prompted them to rush home. “We heard that there had been gunshots just outside our house. When we got home, the police and our security company, 7 Arrows Security, were present. There was also a grey Audi parked in the middle of the road with all its doors open, including the boot. The police told us that there had been about 40 gunshots between the suspects who are alleged to have been trying to hijack a [food delivery] vehicle and the 7 Arrows security guards”
Gordon added, “From what I understand, there had been a [food delivery] car that had driven up the road, the suspects followed it to the house it was meant to deliver to. The owners of the house saw what was happening and pressed their panic button. When the security vehicles arrived, the suspects started firing at the security guards and the security guards fired back.”
Another neighbour, Lana Mollentze, said the residents and guards were not injured.
Spokesperson for the Sandton Police Station Captain Granville Meyer said confirmed that there was a house robbery incident in the Paulshof area and that the suspects fled the scene in a hijacked vehicle. “The victims alerted their security provider by pressing the panic button and as the suspects fled the scene they were confronted by the security officers,” said Meyer.
He added that a shoot-out occurred when one of the tyres of a car that the suspects drove was hit. “As the vehicle came to a standstill, they hijacked another vehicle.”
Meyer confirmed that the suspects are still at large and the matter is under investigation.
7 Arrows Security’s control centre manager Susan de Beer confirmed that their control room received a call from a client on Tuesday who reported a house break-in in progress along Kildrummy Gardens in Paulshof central. “Response vehicles dispatched upon arrival reported the neighbour’s gate wide open and the streetlights were off. Two suspects were spotted inside the premises and started shooting at our response officers who returned fire. Two suspects were shot during the shoot-out,” said De Beer.
“The suspects managed to flee the scene with a black Audi which was recovered after our response officers gave chase. During the chase, the suspects hijacked a silver Audi at the corner of Stonehaven and Brackenhill Paulshof Central which belongs to the [food delivery] driver.”
De Beer added that some of the stolen items were recovered at the scene and confirmed that, so far, no arrests have been made.
“The success of this situation was due to us having back-up vehicles to assist in the chase, had we not had the help of our surrounding vehicles and officers, the situation would have ended very differently,” concluded de Beer.
7 Arrows’ managing director Victor Tortora also said, “Because of a neighbour alerting 7 Arrows Security, we were made aware of the situation. I, therefore, urge all residents to call suspicious activity in at any time – ‘If you see it, say it’.”
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