Shortly after noon on Friday, 22 May, three armed suspects made the mistake of robbing the APCAN Security Group offices in Struben’s Valley.
One of the suspects allegedly entered the APCAN offices and grabbed a cellphone from inside before running to join the other two suspects in a maroon coloured Ford Fiesta that was parked outside.
The suspects were quick to flee the scene, but had not gone unnoticed. A guard from DMS Security who was on duty at the Struben’s Valley Shopping Centre pressed a panic button, alerting the DMS Control Room that something was happening.
A BCI Security Reaction officer that was parked at the BP Garage noticed the commotion and hurriedly got into his vehicle and headed towards the scene. As the reaction officer got to the parking entrance at the shopping centre onlookers pointed to the suspects’ car that was racing up Fredenharry Road and informed him of what had just happened.
The Reaction Officer immediately requested backup through radio transmission and pursued the vehicle until he lost it at Witwatersrand Avenue.
Not long after, the reaction officer noticed the Ford Fiesta travelling back up Fredenharry Road towards Hendrik Potgieter Road and updated other responders on the suspects’ position before continuing his pursuit. The BCI Operations Manager and Junior Ops Manager joined the chase and were following close behind as the suspects and reaction officer turned left onto Hendrik Potgieter Road.
At the intersection of Cascades and Hendrik Potgieter Roads, another responder (the BCI Security CEO) attempted to block the oncoming Fiesta but the suspects were quick to manoeuvre around the CEO’s vehicle, narrowly avoiding a collision.
The dramatic chase scene continued, now in the other direction, with the three BCI Security Members hot on the suspects’ tails.
Regular updates were given via radio transmission, so DMS Security, who had also been following the chase, began working to block off the top of Doreen Road after realising that that was the direction the suspects would likely go.
It was at this point that a member of the Tactical Response Team for BCI and the security company’s Director, Corinda Loots, also joined in on the chase. The initial reaction officer informed everyone involved that the suspects and responders were approaching the intersection of Doreen and Peter Roads.
Loots realised the vehicles were heading towards her and pulled over until the Fiesta got closer, at which point she attempted to stop the suspects’ car by swerving between lanes. The suspects attempted to pass Loots on her left and collided with her car in the process.
Loots, thinking rationally and quickly in the situation, counter-steered her vehicle in an attempt to avoid losing control. By doing this, her vehicle pushed the Fiesta into a ditch before the Caltex Garage on Hendrik Potgieter.
The small victory was however, short lived. The suspects managed to get the Fiesta out of the ditch with little difficulty and speed through the parking area of the Caltex and onto Doreen Road.
The suspects were heading up towards Poortview, followed closely by the BCI Tactical Response Officer and initial Reaction Officer. The Ops Manager and Junior Ops Manager were not far behind either.
A driver from First Help Towing had also joined in on the chase and managed to overtake the Fiesta on Doreen Road before pulling in front of the vehicle to stop the suspects.
The three suspects had nowhere to go; DMS Security had closed off both lanes and there was nowhere left for the Fiesta to turn. Realising defeat, the suspects pulled over with BCI members pulling up behind them. All three of the suspects were taken out of the vehicle and told to lie down before they were searched and then handcuffed.
Approximately 15 minutes later, a vehicle from APCAN Security Group arrived on scene, followed shortly by the Honeydew Police. Dedicated members of the Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch (RNW) and Absolut Security were also on scene to assist where they could and help with traffic flow until Doreen Road was reopened to traffic.
The police took statements from everyone involved before taking the suspects and their vehicle to the Honeydew Police Station.
The Honeydew Police have been approached for comment, but by the time of publication, none had been received.
