JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng - An Ekurhuleni Metro Police equestrian unit officer (horseback patrol) has arrested a car thief he had caught trying to steal his mom-in-law's car
The officer, a police spokesman said on Friday, arrived at his mother-in-law's house on Thursday afternoon (June 26 2014) and scared a man fiddling with the dashboard of her car into running for a silver Ford Focus parked nearby, accomplices inside.
He never made it - his pals drove off and left him behind.
WARNING SHOTS
The spokesperson said: "Realising that a potentially dangerous situation was developing the metro officer was compelled to give a warning shot.”
The Focus was driven away - without the fleeing thief, who slipped and couldn't make it to the getaway car. More police arrived and the man was arrested after fleeing down Voortrekker Road.
Another vehicle, this one a silver Ford Fiesta, also sped away from the scene and police believe it too car belonged to a group of car thieves.
The spokesperson added that the arrested man was wanted in Katlehong, 35km east of Johannesburg, for alleged involvement in a series of hijackings, attempted murder, business robberies, theft of motor vehicles and theft from vehicles."
PATROL GONE WRONG
In another separate case - this one not funny - two traffic cops were shot and wounded in Heidelberg, south-west of Johannesburg, Gauteng police said on Friday. They were patrolling the R550 on Thursday night when a white VW Golf overtook them on a barrier line. The officers signalled the car to stop but it sped off.
The spokesman explained: "The traffic officers gave chase. One of the occupants of the suspect vehicle 'protruded through the window and started firing several shots towards the traffic officers' vehicle with a rifle'.
"Both traffic officers... sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital."
The car drove off and a case of attempted murder had been opened.
The officer, a police spokesman said on Friday, arrived at his mother-in-law's house on Thursday afternoon (June 26 2014) and scared a man fiddling with the dashboard of her car into running for a silver Ford Focus parked nearby, accomplices inside.
He never made it - his pals drove off and left him behind.
WARNING SHOTS
The spokesperson said: "Realising that a potentially dangerous situation was developing the metro officer was compelled to give a warning shot.”
The Focus was driven away - without the fleeing thief, who slipped and couldn't make it to the getaway car. More police arrived and the man was arrested after fleeing down Voortrekker Road.
Another vehicle, this one a silver Ford Fiesta, also sped away from the scene and police believe it too car belonged to a group of car thieves.
The spokesperson added that the arrested man was wanted in Katlehong, 35km east of Johannesburg, for alleged involvement in a series of hijackings, attempted murder, business robberies, theft of motor vehicles and theft from vehicles."
PATROL GONE WRONG
In another separate case - this one not funny - two traffic cops were shot and wounded in Heidelberg, south-west of Johannesburg, Gauteng police said on Friday. They were patrolling the R550 on Thursday night when a white VW Golf overtook them on a barrier line. The officers signalled the car to stop but it sped off.
The spokesman explained: "The traffic officers gave chase. One of the occupants of the suspect vehicle 'protruded through the window and started firing several shots towards the traffic officers' vehicle with a rifle'.
"Both traffic officers... sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital."
The car drove off and a case of attempted murder had been opened.