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Gunfire wakes residents during police chase
07/10/2004 13:54 - (SA)
Screeching tyres, hammering engines and the popping sound of bullets flying woke alarmed Westcliff residents early on Tuesday morning as suspected poachers tried to escape from a police vehicle.
The saga began at about 06:30 when Operation Neptune officials spotted a vehicle they suspected was being used to transport abalone poachers and their consignments of abalone, driving along the Main Rd in Eastcliff towards the CBD.
The officials turned their vehicle around, switched on the blue police light and followed the bakkie with the intention of stopping it. The suspects, noticing the police behind them, accelerated and sped away, ignoring a four-way stop street, the traffic lights and another stop street in the CBD.
On two occasions during the chase the suspects tried to force the police vehicle off the road.
The police officials then opened fire aiming at the tyres of the fleeing vehicle to bring it to a standstill.
After several shots were fired two tyres were hit and the suspects drove into the yard of a resident in Westcliff Dr near Fick's Pool. There they were cornered by the pursuing police and arrested. The vehicle and 1 972 abalone worth at least R115 000 were confiscated.
No one was injured and no private property was damaged according to police spokesman, Insp Eben Groenewald.
The suspects aged 22 and 33 years respectively are both from Hawston and will appear in court in due course.
Anyone with information about abalone poaching activities should contact Operation Neptune, a joint anti-poaching operation between the SAPS and dept of environmental affairs and tourism, supported by the Overstrand municipality's management action for resources of inshore and nearshore environment as well as various other government and non governmental organisations, at (028) 313-2703.
- DistrictMail
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