COPS SHOOT CAR THIEF IN DRAMATIC CHASE

MANZINI – Police officers shot a car theft suspect following a dramatic chase of about 27 kilometres.

Subsequent to the rise of car theft in the Manzini Region in recent weeks, yesterday, members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), had to fire shots in order to stop a suspected motor vehicle thief at Mafutseni. This was after the suspect had supposedly stolen a blue Volkswagen (VW) Cross Polo at Ngwane Park. The vehicle, according to impeccable sources, was parked near Mkhiweni by a businessman while he had lunch in his house.

It was gathered that after about half an hour later, the entrepreneur returned to where he had parked his vehicle only to find that it had been stolen. Soon after discovering that his car had been stolen, he was said to have contacted the police officers from the Manzini Police Station and some of his associates. Impeccable sources informed this publication that within minutes of sending the SOS, one of the businessman’s acquaintances spotted the vehicle. The associate is said to have informed the businessman about seeing the vehicle passing by Mavuso Exhibition and Trade Centre.

Pursued

It was at this instance that the entrepreneur reportedly relayed the developments to the police, who are said to have promptly responded and pursued the vehicle. The police, according to sources, caught up with the suspect driving the stolen vehicle near St Joseph’s Mission School. The suspect is said to have stopped to offer a ride to a minor aged 15, who had been hitch-hiking. The sources claimed that the police signalled and ordered the suspect to stop the vehicle; however, he was said to have refused  to follow the instruction. Instead, the suspect is said to have driven off at high speed in a mission to elude the police officers. It was then that the high-speed car chase started as the police officers pursued the fleeing suspect. The pursuit of the stolen vehicle is said to have ended at Mafutseni, wherein the police officers had to fire several gunshots at the motor vehicle in a quest to coerce the suspect to stop.

At this instance, the suspect was reportedly shot and injured. He is said to have subsequently parked the vehicle along the newly-constructed Manzini – Mbadlane (MR 3) Public Road, opposite the Mafutseni Shopping Complex and surrendered himself to the police. Consequently, he was then apprehended by the police officers and was rushed to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital in Manzini where he is currently admitted.   

Police

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent    Phindile Vilakati confirmed the incident. She said the police had to use other means to stop the suspect as he was fleeing from them. Vilakati said the suspect was taken to hospital (RFM) where he was being treated. She also confirmed that the vehicle was stolen at Ngwane Park. In recent weeks, survivors of car theft have been reporting on social media of their ordeals which happened in most instances around Ngwane Park, in the Manzini Region. Most of them have been robbed of their vehicles at gunpoint by the daring suspects. A recent incident was of a female motorist who was robbed at gunpoint of her grey VW Polo registered HSD 310 CH while at Ngwane Park on Saturday evening. The vehicle estimated to be valued at E80 000 was reportedly forcefully taken from the woman by a robber who brandished a gun. Also, on April 16, 2022, a Toyota Legend 45 was taken at gunpoint. The robbers also took E45 000 cash and mobile phones valued at E50 000.

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