DURBAN - A vehicle seen leaving a house robbery in oThongathi on Friday was spotted in Phoenix and one of its occupants was arrested on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that at 4am members of the Phoenix Trio crime prevention unit were conducting stop and searches of people and vehicles in the suburb.
She said the unit was alerted to a suspicious white Golf 2 at Westham petrol station in Phoenix with four men inside.
“Upon approaching the said vehicle and switching on the blue lights, the said males began to run and they fired shots at the police, who returned fire. Upon a chase on foot one suspect was apprehended,” Gwala said.
She said the number plates on the Golf were incorrect, and when police searched the vehicle they found five cellular phones. The correct number plates were found in the boot.
Gwala said police checked the vehicle identification number (VIN) and found that the vehicle was linked to a house robbery case in the oThongathi SAPS area. The Golf had been stolen on Friday. It was taken to the police pound.
Phoenix Community Policing Forum chairperson Umesh Singh commended the police for an excellent job that would reassure the community that they were reactive and working. He said he hoped more people would be arrested.
Singh said that last week police recovered an unlicensed firearm when they stopped and searched a motor vehicle in Phoenix. He urged the community to report suspicious activities.
Private security company KZN VIP Unit spokesperson Gareth Naidoo said the four men were changing a tyre on a white VW Golf 2 and fled when the SAPS member approached them.
“Three of them ran across the grounds and the other suspect ran towards a dead-end area and was apprehended.”
Members of the public who have information on the whereabouts of the suspects are asked to contact their nearest police station or call the Crime Stop Hotline anonymously on 08600 10111.
Daily News