Durban — A Durban metro police officer came to the aid of a hijack victim when he fired a shot at the suspects, hitting one of them in the head on Wednesday.
Durban metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Boysie Zungu said the hijacking incident happened on Leicester and Pendlebury Roads in Mobeni, Durban south.
Zungu said that the metro police officer was travelling behind the victim’s car when he witnessed four male suspects pulling a woman driver out of the vehicle.
“Our officer fired three shots at the suspects, hitting one of them in the head. Three other suspects fled into Lamontville. The suspect was taken to Prince Mshiyeni (Memorial) Hospital,” Zungu described.
“Apart from the victim being highly traumatised, there were no other injuries or damage to property.”
Meanwhile, private security company PT Alarms said on Tuesday, uMlazi SAPS officers and the PT Alarms Tactical Unit members joined forces to arrest two hijacking suspects and free a kidnapped vehicle owner.
PT Alarms spokesperson Dhevan Govindasamy said the teams were in hot pursuit of a gang of suspects in the uMlazi area, yielding the arrest of two suspects, while two accomplices made a getaway after crashing a hijacked vehicle with the owner locked inside the boot of the car.
Govindasamy said the uMlazi K9 team were performing crime prevention duties around the uMlazi vicinity when they noticed a blue Hyundai i10 with no back and front plates. The police officers noticed the suspicious activities of the vehicle occupants and followed the said vehicle along Vusi Mtshali Road next to Esiphethwini Primary School.
“In their haste to flee, the suspects crashed the vehicle into a verge wall,” Govindasamy said. “The four suspects alighted and fled toward a southerly direction with police hot on their heels.”
“Two suspects were arrested, and the vehicle was recovered with frontal damages. The kidnapped vehicle owner was released from the boot. PT ambulance service paramedics treated the victim, who was pistol-whipped and also sustained injuries from the crash. The victim was stabilised on the scene and transported to the hospital.”
Govindasamy said both suspects were detained at uMlazi SAPS and are alleged to be linked to Uber hijackings around the Umlazi area. The suspects were charged with hijacking and kidnapping.
Police have been approached for comment, which will be added once received.
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