Pta doctor treats own attacker

2008-02-06 08:42

Virginia Keppler

Johannesburg - "His job is to rob and mine is to make people better."

These were the words of Dr Marie Coetzee after she treated an armed robber who was shot in the buttocks by police during a foiled robbery.

The suspect's accomplice was also arrested during the robbery after he was cornered because he was too scared to jump over the electric fence.

Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilback said the incident took place at about 08:15 at the consulting rooms of Dr Van Niekerk and Partners at the corner of Fry and Walter Street in Waverley, Pretoria.

Heard the shots

Fourteen people, among them a doctor, nursing sister, two patients and three medical representatives where overpowered and tied up.

"The robbers demanded money and cellphones," said Weilbach.

Jeanne Smit, 47, Tienkie Botha and Elzette van Schalkwyk, who managed to remain hidden from the robbers in another room in the building, called the police and ADT security.

"They reacted very quickly, because we heard shots ringing out shortly after we had called. The police and security were excellent," said Smit.

Chrisstel van den Bout, the nursing sister, said she had just taken a blood sample from a mother and her baby when an armed robber overpowered her.

"The mother and baby had just left through a back door when the robber walked in and said: 'Keep quiet and come along.' He pulled me into the corridor, put his gun to my back and ordered be to walk down the corridor.

"He then put me in a room where the other people were already tied with plastic cables," said Van den Bout.

The criminals didn't realise that the police would be at the scene within seconds.

Russel Heins, 36, who lived across the road from the consulting rooms, said he heard only two shots. "We looked through a window and saw the police open fire. There was shouting and running around and then it became quiet. The next moment the police dragged out two men."

Selina Mabuza, an employee, said she was outside when the police arrived.

"I didn't see anything, I just heard the shots. I didn't know what to do because I didn't know where it was coming from," she said shocked, while sitting on the ground shivering.

Weilbach said the wounded suspect underwent surgery on Tuesday afternoon to have the bullet removed from his buttocks. He is in a local hospital under police protection.

- Beeld