The police vehicle was hit five times.Three bullets hit the door on the driver’s side. Eyewitnesses said it was a miracle that the driver, who was not wearing a bullet proof vest, or anyone else, was not hit.

The incident happened only about 100 m from where a mother was walking with her baby in a pram.

Several residents, who were watch?ing the Springbok rugby match at the time, came rushing out of their houses after a volley of shots, most probably fired with an AK47 or some other automatic weapon, were heard.

. On Sunday morning in Newman Street in Aurora an elderly woman (72) was also held at gunpoint and robbed while her deaf husband was sleeping in the bedroom.

According to Insp Henk Roux of the Durbanville police, the robbery at Shoprite took place at about 11:50 on Saturday with several shoppers in the shop.

Five or six armed men walked into the shop and ordered the cashiers to empty the cash registers. They fled in an old white Mercedes with an Eastern Cape registration number.

According to information a police van followed the car down Koeberg Road towards Vissershok Road. The robbers sped down Plataan Street, but were spotted in Vissershok Road.

They then turned left into St. John’s Road and right into High Street, with the police van shortly behind them.

According a matric pupil (18), who does not want to be identified, he was coming from the Aurora Spar in Burton Road when he spotted the speed?ing Mercedes and stopped his car.

The robbers went through the crossing, then stopped, reversed the car and turned right into Burton Street, he said.

The Mercedes then stopped and the robbers jumped out. The driver and front passenger both had automatic rifles.

It seemed as if they were waiting to ambush the police vehicle, he said.

When the police vehicle came a few seconds later, they opened fire.

The police vehicle went straight on and turned right into Greyling Street where it broke down. Two shots had hit the radiator.

According to the witness the driver of the police van ran down to Burton Street, but the robbers had already chased off. About 16 spent cartridges were found on the scene.

According to information, another police vehicle followed the robbers’ car down Vissershok Road, but backed off when the robbers leaned out of the windows, pointing their guns at the police.

A rumour that two of the robbers were arrested when they tried to rob a bakkie in the Du Noon township near Milnerton, could not be confirmed by the Durbanville police.

. On Sunday morning at 07:50 the elderly woman referred to earlier, opened the door when the bell was rung because she was expecting someone.

A white doublecab bakkie was parked on the opposite side of the street right in front of the house, she said.

A man asked for Frikkie. When she told him she does not know anynone called Frikkie, another man jumped from the bakkie and ran to the front door.

He shoved her inside, pushed her to the floor and held a firearm to her head.

According to the woman the men walked out with two television sets, of which one is a plasma screen television. The victim, whose face was bruised, praised the police for their quick response and concern, especially that of the trauma counsellor.