A police chase came to screeching halt in front of a residence in Zwelethemba on Friday morning after shots were fired.
The highway patrol had given chase to a vehicle that was stolen in Malmesbury a few days before.
“Highway patrol had received information about the stolen vehicle driving around Zwelethemba,” Worcester police spokesperson WO Vathiswa Jacobs said.
“They investigated, patrolling the area before finally spotting the car. They set off after it, but the suspect behind the wheel wouldn’t stop until the officers fired two warning shots, and the suspect stopped.”
The resident of the house before which the car came to a stop, and who didn’t wish to be named, said he got a huge fright on hearing the gunshots so close by. He had also spotted the car driving around Zwelethemba three days or so before the incident.
“I saw the car driving around in my street about three days before that guy was caught. And the first few times I saw it it still had number plates on. But it appears the guy removed them on Thursday, because there were none there when he was arrested.”
When the resident heard shots being fired his first instinct was to get his 5-year-old son to safety.
“I got such a big fright. I immediately went to grab hold of my son, who was sitting on the couch, and drop to the floor and crawl on our tummies to the bedroom.
“I was actually planning on cleaning my yard on Friday morning. Luckily, I didn’t open my door at that moment or else that tsotsi would have ran into my house.
“I’m not sure, but I think I may have heard three shots fired, and one of them may have been from the suspect, firing back at the police.”
He said after the suspect had stopped he jumped from the car and ran through his gate onto his stoep.
“He then ran to the back of my house and jumped over the back fence. There members of the community and the dog in the yard he had jumped into stopped him in his tracks and assisted the police in arresting him.
“While running from the police he threw the car keys onto one of the neighbouring roofs.”
The suspect, who was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, first appeared in court on Monday 7 November. His next appearance is on the 14th for a bail hearing.
