Girl on scooter traps thieves

2007-04-20 20:22

Port Elizabeth - A petite Eastern Cape girl cornered two burglars with her scooter this week, attacking one with her crash helmet, reported The Herald Online on Friday.

Marilee Hibbers, 18, of Despatch said on Thursday she never thought of the danger she could have been in.

Her only goal was to get the two criminals arrested.

The two men, aged 26 and 27, apparently broke into a house in Protea Street about 14:00 on Wednesday.

When the owner of the house saw them, she shouted and the men ran out.

Hibbers said: "We heard someone scream and we saw two guys jumping over the fence, and a man was chasing them.

"I thought well, I have a scooter, I can chase them faster. I just put on my helmet and went after them."

Two houses away, Hibbers saw one of the men lying in the garden, hiding.

"There was a woman in that yard who saw him and threatened to shoot him if he got up, so I went and told police who were driving around nearby" she said.

After he was arrested, Hibbers and a small boy noticed the second man, also hiding in the garden.

"When he saw us, he stood up and ran. I rode after him and told him to stop. He stopped briefly once and threatened to kick me, but I told him I wasn't scared of him. I just continued chasing him," said Hibbers.

She eventually cut in front of him with her scooter and the man fell to the ground.

"I got on him and hit him with my helmet on the arm. I don't regret hitting him because he said he would kick me."

Two men arrived to help her and the man was arrested.

- SAPA