In a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood action flick, the police and three suspects travelling on the N4 were engaged in a high-speed chase this afternoon.
According to an eyewitness who asked not to be named, three suspects travelling in a vehicle with Gauteng registration plates refused to comply when instructed by the police to stop and instead exchanged gunfire with the pursuing police.
“Once the vehicle came to a stop, one of the three suspects fled into the nearby bushes and the place was soon crawling with police and a helicopter hovering overhead.
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“He was eventually found about half an hour later and taken into custody,” the source said.
John Meintjies, the ACS Security senior manager and relationship manager, said that the incident occurred across the road from Kwanyoni Lodge just after 12:00 this afternoon.
“The police were conducting a patrol on the N4 after receiving information that three men were robbing hitchhikers on the N4.
At the time, the make and model of the vehicle was not known to the police.
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“They spotted a white Toyota Corolla travelling towards eMalahleni at Hall’s Gateway and instructed the occupants to pull over,” he said.
According to Meintjies, the driver did not comply with the instruction and instead drew a firearm and exchanged gunfire with the police.
“The SAPS called ACS Security for back-up and our security officers assisted with the apprehension of the suspects. After the escaped suspect was found in an abandoned house by senior management of Global Macadamia the three were detained at the Nelspruit Police Station.”
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It emerged that they all hailed from Tzaneen in Limpopo and had allegedly been travelling between Tzaneen and Mbombela on a daily basis to commit robberies.
“No suspects or police were injured during the shootout, but the police discovered that the getaway car was a rented vehicle from Europcar at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
