Robber loses ear in tussle
2005-05-05 08:36
Johannesburg - A suspected robber lost part of his ear after an angry motorist turned on him during a smash-and-grab attack at a traffic light last week.
Sergeant Lucky Khumela for police said the driver, who for safety reasons cannot be identified, had stopped at a traffic light near the Holiday Inn in Empire Road, Parktown, when the suspect smashed his window and grabbed his cellphone.
Khumela said: "The driver jumped out of his vehicle and attacked the thief. During the struggle he got hold of the suspect's ear and tore off a large chunk," said Khumela.
The suspect fled, bleeding and minus an ear.
The motorist reported the incident to the Parkview police and the ear was handed in as evidence.
The ear is currently being kept at the State mortuary in Hillbrow. "It (the ear) will be buried if the suspect is not caught."
DNA tests are being done on the ear for future identification purposes.
Khumela urged members of the public to be on the lookout for a man who had recently lost an ear.