bringing criminals to book
4 May 2007
Without the assistance of the South African Police Service's 'eye in the
sky' it is possible that five suspected criminals, whom police officials had
been tracking for several hours in the mountainous Kalkheuwel area, might have
escaped.
Last night, Thursday, 3 May 2007, members of the community in the area met
with police to discuss a recent spate of house robberies. The police were given
information on a group of men who had been acting suspiciously.
Police members from the Hartbeespoort Dam police station immediately
launched an operation to track the suspects down and at approximately 01h00
this morning spotted the group in the veld around a fire. As the police members
approached, the suspects broke into two groups and fled. The search continued
through the night.
At approximately 08h00 this morning a police helicopter was mobilised and an
additional group of police officials were deployed in vehicles and on foot to
hunt down the suspects. The area was exceptionally inaccessible, so the
assistance of the police's Air Wing was of vital importance.
Our airborne law enforcers spotted a group of three suspects and guided the
ground force, made up of uniformed members and police dog handlers, to their
location. A shoot-out ensued after the suspects began firing on the police
members, resulting in two of the suspects being fatally wounded and one injured
in the arm. The other two suspects were located shortly afterwards and have
been arrested.
The scene is still being combed for evidence. Obviously fingerprints and
other evidence will assist in establishing why this group fled from the police
and immediately opened fire when approached.
"All police officials involved are to be commended on their commitment to
rounding up a group who were obviously up to no good," said National
Commissioner Jackie Selebi. "Despite the rough terrain, the dark and the cold
they were determined to track these men down and apprehend them in order to
protect the community � they are an example to us all."
Enquiries:
Sally de Beer
Tel: 012 393 1574
Fax: 012 393 2165
Cell: 082 779 8658
E-mail: debeers@saps.org.za
Issued by: South African Police Service
4 May 2007
Source: South African Police Service (http://www.saps.gov.za/)
