BLUE Security’s Highway tactical ambassador, Russel Lawson, shot an alleged car thief during a high-speed car chase along the M13 near Westville, yesterday.
Four suspects allegedly arrived at the Gillitts business premises in a champagne gold Nissan Almera before noon. Jill Clark, the chairwoman of the Gillitts Park Neighbourhood Watch, who was working in one of the offices on the premises, said a staff member noticed a man behaving suspiciously in the parking lot.
“When the suspect realised that people on the premises noticed him, he quietly got back into the vehicle he arrived in, reversed, and drove off,” said Clark. “It was found that the suspect opened the bonnet of one of the vehicles parked on the premises and cut the wire to the hooter, in an attempt to silence the alarm.”
A staff member took down the registration plate of the suspect’s vehicle and contacted the Gillitts Park Neighbourhood Watch team. The information was then circulated to neighbourhood watch and security groups.
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Lawson and his partner, Sbu Mchunu, went in search of the vehicle in the area surrounding the business premises but it was only when he was driving west along the M13 that he spotted the wanted vehicle driving east on the M13.
“I gave chase and caught up with them under the St Johns Bridge in Pinetown, following them past the M13, N3 split. As I drove near to their vehicle and flashed at them to pull over, one of the suspects pulled out a firearm. I responded by firing two shots at the vehicle. One of the shots hit the bumper and entered through the seat, injuring a suspect’s buttocks,” Lawson said.
“The chase ensued and they took the Rodger Sishi Road turn off and went into Westville central, past Westville Girls’ High School. They then drove along St James Road, jumping red robots,” Lawson said.
Lawson lost the suspects in Westville.
“The suspects turned into a local shopping centre and drove counterflow through the security boom gates and hit into another vehicle. The suspects were about to walk into the shopping centre and blend in with shoppers when the centre’s security guards swooped in and arrested three suspects. One suspect fled the scene and remains at large,” Lawson said.
Westville SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
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