THREE of four suspected robbers, believed to be members of the "crowbar gang", were killed in a dramatic high-speed chase with private security guards yesterday.
The robbers died when their getaway car was involved in a three-vehicle collision on the M3 highway near the Firgrove turn-off in Constantia.
One of the four, in a silver- grey Toyota Corolla, a suspect in a house break-in in Diep River, was rushed to hospital with three other people, including a child. He is under police watch.
Police recovered stolen household items from the suspects’ vehicle.
Paramedics say they found one motor vehicle lying overturned in the middle of the road. A second wrecked vehicle came to a halt at the side of the road. A third vehicle ended up in the middle of the highway.
Police said the suspects were spotted by security personnel shortly after they had allegedly committed a burglary in Diep River. The security guards tried to intercept them, but they sped away and a high-speed chase followed.
Down South Towing driver Greg Muller, who witnessed the unfolding pile-up, said he believed the suspects had panicked as the security personnel began closing in on them.
“They drove on the wrong side of the road. That resulted in collisions with cars.”
Police spokesperson André Traut said the cause of the fatal accident was being investigated.
“On the M3, the suspects drove their Toyota Corolla on the wrong side of the road and collided with oncoming vehicles. Three suspects died on the scene and one was admitted to hospital in a serious condition.
"The occupants of the other two vehicles, a mother and a child in the one vehicle and a male person in the other, were admitted to hospital with minor injuries," he said.
In a statement, ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said four men were found trapped inside the vehicle on the side of the road.
“Unfortunately, three men had already succumbed to their multiple injuries. They were declared dead on the scene,” said Meiring.
He said the fourth man had suffered numerous injuries and was in a critical condition.
“Rescue services had to use the Jaws of Life equipment to free the man before treatment could continue. Three other patients were found on scene, including a five-year-old boy. All these patients suffered minor to moderate injuries,” he said.
Meiring added that paramedics provided the fourth man with advanced life- support interventions.
“Once treated, the patients were transported to various hospitals for urgent treatment. It is believed the driver of one vehicle apparently lost control, causing his vehicle to roll into the oncoming traffic and collide with the other vehicles,” he said.
Traffic was brought to a standstill as forensics and two firefighting vehicles attended the scene in Ladies Mile Road. The road was reopened late in the afternoon.
The Diep River Community Policing Forum has expressed deep concern about the spike in burglaries in the area in recent months.