Off-duty cop catches her mom’s attacker
The Pinetown cop chased the criminal into a mall and arrested him.
A 58-YEAR-OLD woman was attacked and robbed in Anderson Road in Pinetown on Saturday. Her daughter, an off-duty police officer, gave chase and apprehended the criminal.
Timmy Govender said he parked his car in the parking lot at Pinespring Centre when a man from the crowd accosted his wife, Charmaine.
“We were all climbing out of the car when a man grabbed at my wife’s chest to steal her chain. He knocked her to the ground, holding onto her chain. My wife was also holding onto her chain,” said Govender.
Govender and his 22-year-old daughter tried to pry the man off of Charmaine.
“He just did not let go. We were hitting him and kicking him and he would not leave my wife alone,” said Govender.
The chain eventually snapped and he ran down the road. Govender and his daughter charged after him.
“I fell, but my daughter continued chasing him. He ran into the shopping centre and she cornered him. A crowd started to gather and to me it felt like they were trying to cause a distraction to let him get away. Security guards arrived as well and helped contain the situation. I was so proud of my daughter for being fearless and having the courage to take on this man, unarmed,” said Govender.
The family was unable to locate the missing piece of his wife’s chain but the man has has been charged with attempted theft.
