Off-duty cop arrests armed Wentworth ‘shopper’
Ashopkeeper alerted the officer about three suspicious-looking men.
AN OFF-duty Wentworth policeman arrested a man and confiscated an unlicensed firearm and ammunition inside a supermarket on Thursday, 1 November.
Warrant Officer Krishna Nair was still in uniform while shopping and was about to leave when a shopkeeper alerted him about three suspicious-looking men.
The three men were walking around aimlessly, two of whom saw the officer looking at them and eventually left the shop without buying anything.
READ: Wentworth detective secures 12 year jail term for armed robber
The third man attempted to leave the shop with a trolley full of goods when W/O Nair stopped him. The shopkeeper asked why was he leaving without paying and was told by the man that his friend left with the money.
“W/O Nair introduced himself to the suspect and noticed he had something bulging beneath his belt. The officer searched the suspect and found a black pistol, a magazine and 9mm short live ammunition concealed under his buckle in his pants,” said Wentworth SAPS spokesman, Capt Mbuso Gumede.
He searched the man further, despite him resisting arrest, but W/O Nair managed to restrain him and call for backup.
READ: How to report a crime
Crime prevention members arrived to place him inside the police van. The firearm was checked on the system and found to be positively linked to an Isipingo SAPS case.
The 28-year-old was detained for unlawful possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The accused appeared in Durban Court the following day. “W/O Nair was commended by station commander Colonel Van Zyl and the station management for arresting an armed suspect and for recovering an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The same firearm could have been used to commit a business robbery in that shop and lives could have been lost added Capt Gumede.
The firearm will be sent to ballistics to establish it if was used in any other crimes. Anyone who notices suspicious persons or vehicles in the area must report such immediately to Crime Stop toll-free on 086-001-0111 and Wentworth SAPS on 031-4516240/6241/6242.
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