Robber scores own goal
26 July 2021
The City of Cape Town’s enforcement departments arrested 143 people and issued more than 35 000 fines the past few days. A robber who had shot himself was arrested at an emergency centre.
‘Crime doesn’t pay and our officers ensure criminals are brought to book. It’s not often our jobs are made easy, but in this case a robber shot himself while taking aim at our officers,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Officers attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) were on patrol in Hanover Park on Friday, 23 July when they were approached by a woman who had just been robbed.
A few minutes later, they approached a man fitting the description given by the complainant.
When he saw the officers, he fired at them and as he ran away he fell to the ground and another shot went off.
The officers took cover and the suspect got away.
‘Later that night, the officers stopped a vehicle outside the curfew and the woman revealed her boyfriend had been shot. He turned out to be the robber who had fired on the officers and officers arrested him at the Heideveld Emergency Centre. It just so happens that he shot himself when he fell,’ said Alderman Smith.
When he was discharged, he showed officers where he had hidden the gun. He was arrested for attempted murder and taken to Philippi police station.
‘It has been a quiet start to the week this Monday morning as we have had no reports of any taxi violence or incidents. Schools reopened today and we are keeping a close eye on scholar transport and remain vigilant for any incidents that could arise,’ said Alderman Smith.
The City’s Traffic Service arrested 25 suspects, impounded 12 vehicles, 136 cell phones and issued 33 756 fines.
‘During the past week, officers issued 1 630 fines for contravention of the disaster regulations and 1 469 for not wearing masks. Our officers cannot choose which laws to enforce and those who don’t obey, will be fined or arrested,’ said Alderman Smith.
On Sunday, 25 July, Metro Police officers responded to a complaint in Khayelitsha of a tuck shop being robbed.
Two men were caught with the stolen goods in their possession and arrested.
Other Metro Police arrests include:
A 54-year-old man was arrested at a vehicle checkpoint in Parklands yesterday for driving drunk, while another drunk driver was arrested in Khayelitsha on Friday.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
