High-speed chase nabs four
2008-06-02 10:42
Pietermaritzburg - A Chubb security guard and police have been hailed as heroes after the dramatic capture of four alleged members of a gang that has been terrorising Chase Valley Heights.
The drama began late on Saturday when reports were received of break-ins at Kelly Drive in Montrose and Valbridge Road in the Chase Valley area at about 16:00 on Saturday. A dark-colour BMW X5 was reportedly spotted in the area.
Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram said a team assigned to investigate and arrest the perpetrators responsible for the spate of housebreakings in Town Hill, spotted the BMW, and gave chase.
The Chubb security guard, Joshua Kunene, 38, also sped to the scene. As he drove up Chase Valley Road he came across a black BMW X5 heading towards him, which he realised was driven by the suspects.
As he tried to stop their vehicle, they rammed him off the road, sending the Chubb car rolling down an embankment.
On impact, the BMW driver's side wheel was wrenched off and the car ground to a halt. The suspects fled from the vehicle splitting up in the dense bush on the side of the road.
One tackled by police dog
After numerous attempts to stop them from escaping, police fired at the fleeing men, seriously wounding one.
Another was slightly injured when tackled by a police dog and the remaining two escaped injury, said Budhram. All four arrested men are aged between 30 to 35-years-old.
The seriously wounded man was taken to hospital and admitted under police guard. The other injured man was treated at the crash.
Budhram said the suspects could well be part of a larger gang and that further arrests were possible.
Housebreaking implements, including a crowbar and a large 14-pound hammer were found in the car.
It is believed that bottles of Jack Daniels whisky were also found in the car along with jewellery which had been stolen in one of the housebreakings.
The suburbs of Town Hill had been crawling with police on Saturday.
Tension was high among them as they were determined to catch the gang which had been terrorising the neighbourhoods for the past month.
Police were elated and said their hard work had paid off.
One said he had not had a weekend off "for ages" in their attempts to catch the gang.
Chubb Security's Alison Bull said Kunene was recovering in hospital from severe whiplash, badly torn ligaments in his leg and was being monitored for concussion.
She thanked passer-by Greg Steyn who helped get Kunene out of the mangled car to safety. She said Kunene would be up for a bravery award.
"We are so proud of him and thankful he is not hurt worse"
False Cape Town number plates
Residents alleged that one of the suspects had been seen in the area previously, on crutches, asking for directions to a doctor's home, which was later broken into. A pair of crutches was reportedly also found in the BMW.
While the injured man was waiting to be taken to hospital by ambulance, another sat on the side of the road, moaning that he had lost one of his shoes.
The luxury car driven by the suspects had false Cape Town number plates, covering the authentic ones underneath. It is believed that the suspects are from Cape Town.
Sources have said that previous arrests made, were now not thought to be linked to the gang.