Five suspects have been apprehended this morning, Tuesday, 14 January, after attempting to break into a Levi’s store at Retail Crossing Shopping Centre in Little Falls.
Arno Dorfling, BCI Security’s operations manager, told Northsider that at about 5.15am, the BCI Control Room received a panic signal from the shopping centre.
“The Control Room dispatched five response vehicles. When the vehicles arrived at the shopping centre, the site guards informed them that five males were busy breaking into the Levi’s store.
“The vehicles drove to the store and noticed a silver Toyota Hilux parked in front of Mr Video. As the reaction officers stopped, two suspects started running towards the exit gate. Four reaction officers gave chase. While the suspects were running, one of them turned around and fired a shot at the officers with a pistol. As he turned around again to run, he tripped over the pavement and fell. He was apprehended. The other suspect carried on running but was quickly caught and arrested,” Dorfling explained.
Also Read:
https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/296416/shoplifter-arrested-in-retail-crossing/
He further explained how the three remaining culprits were apprehended. “Site security informed the other reaction officers that the three remaining suspects were either on the upper level or in the basement parking area,” he said. The other officers split up to check the areas.
“The Junior Manager went up the stairs to the upper level of the shops. As he got to the top of the stairs he was met by the three suspects. One had a big bolt cutter, the second had a big shifting spanner and the third had a pickaxe head,” he recounted.
They tried to attack the Junior Manager but he fought back and managed to disarm all three of them. “The other officers quickly ran to assist the Junior Manager and the three remaining suspects were handcuffed and taken into custody,” he said.
Dorfling said Honeydew Police were dispatched to the scene and arrived in record time.
A firearm and house-breaking implements were recovered at the scene.
He also mentioned that the Junior Manager sustained injuries to his right arm when he was attacked by the suspects.
“ER24 was dispatched to the scene and the Junior Manager was taken to a nearby hospital for X-rays,” he concluded.
