Byline: Melissa Hart
A chase between alleged armed house burglars and a member of the Elspark/Freeway Park CPF ended in death for one of the suspects.
The drama unfolded, last Tuesday, after a woman in Petrel Street, Elspark, noticed men forcing their way into her neighbour’s property and walking in and out with household items.
“She immediately used the radio network to alert the CPF to the situation,” said Riaan de Beer, the treasurer for the Elspark/Freeway Park CPF.
“One of the members, who lives close by, responded to the call and when he arrived the intruders pointed a firearm at him.
“He immediately drove off and the three men escaped in a silver Nissan Sentra.”
Another CPF member, who saw the burglars making off with their loot, gave chase.
De Beer said that as he followed them along Kingfisher Avenue, the perpetrators allegedly fired three shots at him, then turned into Alpha Place, in Freeway Park.
“The street is a cul-de-sac and at that point the driver of the Nissan crashed into palisade fencing and the three started running away on foot,” he added.
“The CPF member wanted to see in what direction they were running, so he leant out of his vehicle.
“At that point one of the suspects reached for his firearm and the member fired a shot at them.
“The suspect was hit by the bullet and fell in front of Freeway Park Primary School, in Constantia Road.”
De Beer added that the CPF had informed the SAPS and the security company officers of the incident in progress.
CPF members coming from the other side managed to apprehend one of the suspects, but the one who had stopped to pick up the weapon dropped by the injured suspect, managed to evade capture.
“The injured suspect unfortunately died on the scene, even though our paramedic and the member who had fired the shot tried their best to help him,” de Beer said.
“An ambulance was also called, but the suspect could not be saved.”
De Beer told the GCN that a case of murder has been opened by the Boksburg SAPS and the CPF member’s gun has been taken for ballistic tests.
The member has not been arrested.
A case of housebreaking is also being investigated.
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