Two police officers from SAPS Umbumbulu, south-west of Durban within the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, were overpowered and robbed of their firearms and police vehicle by four men during a stop and search on Friday.
KZN provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Jay Naicker, said the two police officers were on patrol at 11am when they stopped a vehicle with four occupants.
Naicker said as the police officers were searching the men, they were attacked and overpowered.
“The suspects robbed the police officers of firearms, as well as the keys of the police vehicle,” he said, adding that the suspects then fled in both their and the SAPS vehicle.
Members of Magma Security spotted the SAPS vehicle speeding behind the suspect’s vehicle close to where the robbery occurred.
Magma Security and Investigation owner, Shaheen Suleiman, said the security officers pursued the police vehicle in an effort to assist, not knowing that the SAPS vehicle had been hijacked.
“The suspects’ vehicle and the SAPS vehicle stopped. Members of Magma Security approached the police vehicle and noticed that the driver was in civilian dress. Both vehicles sped off and left one suspect behind. The suspect opened fire on the member from Magma Security, subsequently wounding him,” he said.
Suleiman said members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Provincial Tracking Team mobilised immediately and began conducting extensive searches in the sugar cane fields in the Eston area.
“When members approached the suspect he opened fire. Members subsequently returned fire and the suspect was fatally wounded,” he said.
According to Suleiman a state-issued firearm, which was stolen during the robbery, was found on the suspect and recovered.
Naicker said all police officers as well. Other law enforcement were immediately notified of the robbery.
He said the suspects were spotted in close proximity to where the robbery occurred.
“A chase ensued and the suspects lost control of the police vehicle which overturned,” said Naicker.
The suspects abandoned the police vehicle and fled in their own vehicle, he said.
“All available resources have been mobilised to hunt down the suspects and bring them to book. Police in Umbumbulu have registered a case of armed robbery,” said Naicker.
The Mercury