Suspected hijacker shot

2007-08-06 14:03

Pretoria - A suspected hijacker was wounded in a shoot-out with police in Pretoria on Sunday night, police said.

The man was arrested and taken to Pretoria Academic hospital where he is recovering under police guard, Captain Lucas Sithole said on Monday.

Sithole said the wounded man and another suspected hijacker, both in their 30s, were arrested after they shot at police after crashing a minibus taxi they had apparently hijacked in Mamelodi.

"The two pretended to be passengers and were picked up in Mamelodi. They however forced out other passengers and sped off, but an eyewitness called police who chased after the taxi," Sithole said.

In Silverton the two suspects' luck ran out and they crashed into another car and then into a tree.

"They shot at police who returned fire and one of the men was wounded in the side, before they were arrested," Sithole said.

He said the two would be charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and possession of stolen goods.

- SAPA