A teenage girl’s cool-headedness saved her life, and most probably that of her hostage taker, when she pretended to faint, ending a three-hour-long ordeal on Saturday.
The minute police persuaded the gunman to open a shop gate so medical personnel could check on the 19-year-old girl, she escaped while the police’s task force team stormed the building.
The girl cannot be identified, as she might have been the victim of indecent assault during the drama.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Marinda Swanepoel said on Sunday that it all started when the girl, who worked at a video outlet in Villieria, went outside at about 1.45pm.
A 32-year-old man, who introduced himself as “Jan”, said he wanted to rent a movie. Both entered the shop. “Jan” put two DVDs on the counter.
Suddenly the man put a pistol on the counter, demanding money, the girl’s cellphone and her car.
He forced her to a storeroom where he tied her legs with a black plastic bag. He wrapped newspaper around her wrists before tying them with a wire coat hanger.
Then he shoved paper into her mouth and tied it with a black bag.
When a customer entered the shop “Jan” told him it was closed.
“He had taken the girl’s R30, cellphone and car keys, and got into her car. When the customer asked the suspect what he was doing in the girl’s car he jumped out and ran back into the shop, closing the security gate and door behind him,” Swanepoel said.
The customer called for help. Within minutes a security company, the police, metro police, hostage negotiators, the task force and medical staff were on the scene.
A police officer and a negotiator spoke to Jan through the door. By this time the attacker had untied the girl and brought her from the storeroom.
During hours of negotiations the man lost his temper and became upset when he saw police outside.
“At 4.30pm the girl stood near the door. She pretended to pass out.
“The police told ‘Jan’ he must allow her to get medical help as she could ‘die’, and then there’s be a murder charge,” said Swanepoel.
“The man opened the door. Within seconds the girl jumped up and ran out.” The girl was taken to hospital for shock and discharged.
Police discovered the suspect’s weapon was a plastic toy gun. He is expected to appear in court today. - Cape Times