THREE men have been arrested after they attempted to rob a biker using a replica firearm in the Muizenberg area, Cape Town on Wednesday, 11 October.
When the robbers saw cops, they ran away but the officers chased the one who had a gun in his hand.
When they eventually arrested him, officers realised that the gun was fake. After interrogating the suspect, he led them to a house where they found another suspect hiding under the bed. Cops later managed to hunt for the third suspect and arrested all of them.
MMC of Safety and Security Jean-Pierre Smith said all three suspects were charged with attempted robbery while one of the suspects was charged with armed robbery.
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“Law enforcement officers were on patrol in Muizenberg when they noticed a confrontation on the side of Prince George Drive. Three people were attempting to hijack a motorcyclist at gunpoint. Officers then chased the suspects who then fled the scene.
“They called for additional backup then set off in pursuit of the armed suspect. He was eventually captured, and the cops discovered that the gun he had was a replica imitation firearm. Further questioning led the officers to other premises, where the second suspect was discovered hiding under a bed and the third suspect was taken into custody a short while later,” said Smith.
Smith, however, said he is concerned about the increase in crimes that are committed by criminals using fake firearms. He said in some instances it's difficult for cops to verify whether the weapon is real or not, leading officers to fire shots.
“Fortunately, in this incident, officers were able to apprehend the suspect without discharging any weapon,” said Smith.
