Durban - A robber who pounced on a Phoenix couple driving through a "smash-and-grab" hotspot was shot dead by the male victim, a policeman.
The 44-year-old cop pursued one of the two robbers who had accosted them in their car in Bester, near KwaMashu, shooting him three times as he fled with his wife’s handbag.
Speaking on their behalf, a relative, who requested anonymity, said the incident occurred on Sunday around 1pm.
“The couple had stopped at the intersection and the officer noticed a man staring at the vehicles, but before he knew it the man disappeared only to show up next to him.”
The robber reached into the vehicle, switched off the car and demanded the officer’s cellphone.
“While this was happening another man around the same age approached his 41-year-old wife and grabbed her handbag. A fight ensued between her and the attacker and the wife injured her fingers. The officer drew his firearm and the men fled, taking the handbag with them.”
The officer chased the men for about 200m.
“During the chase the robber turned around and drew his firearm; the officer did the same and fired three shots at the suspect.”
The Phoenix police station later received a call from a clinic near Bester informing them that a man with three gunshot wounds had been dropped off and had died.