A second Durbanville police officer has been shot and wounded in less than a month while trying to apprehend armed robbers.
Police arrested four men after a business robbery at Spur, Durbanville, on Monday August 22, just after 11am, but in the process a warrant officer was shot in the head.
Durbanville police spokesman Captain Marchell Rhode said three men entered the restaurant through a back door, threatened the manager and took her wedding ring, cellphone and watch. The robbers fled in a red minibus in the direction of Durban Road.
“Constable Jonathan Stuurman and Warrant Officer Frederick Williams pulled over a red Quantum minibus on the corner of Durban Road and Eversdal Road that fitted the description of the vehicle in which the suspects fled,” Captain Rhode said.
While the officers were getting out of the police vehicle, the men jumped out of the minibus and started shooting at the them.
The officers returned fire. According to Constable Jonathan Stuurman, two of the men had guns.
Warrant Officer Williams suffered a bullet wound to the right side of his head.
He is in a stable condition in the Durbanville Mediclinic. The suspects fled in different directions. One was wounded.
Police arrested a taxi driver and three suspects and seized two guns. They are investigating robbery and attempted murder cases.
On Tuesday July 26, a Durbanville police sergeant was wounded after responding to a robbery in progrees at the Bafana Bafana shop in Shiraz Ebrahim Street, Fisantekraal (“Cop shot on duty,” Northern News August 4). The armed robbers, who had stolen cash and cigarettes from the shop, opened fire on the patrol vehicle before escaping.
Police later found 9mm and R5 cartridges at the scene. The R5 is a fully autmoatic battlefield assault rifle which can fire 700 rounds in one minute at a range of 400m.
The wounded officer was treated at Durbanville Mediclinic and discharged the following day.
Durbanville Community Police Forum (CPF) chairman Denzil Smerdon condemned the latest attack on police officers and asked resident to work with law enforcement agencies.
“It is with deep regret that we have been informed of this occurrence at the Durbanville Spur. Our best wishes go out to the manager on duty. We are indeed gratified that Warrant Officer Williams is in a stable condition.
“We are assured that no stone will remain untouched to bring to book the criminals who performed this dastardly and cowardly act.”
* Email cpf.durbanville@gmail. com to join the neighbourhood watch or the victim support group.
