By Kaya 959 Reporter
A man was shot dead after he allegedly placed a spike on the road and tried to attack a motorist whose vehicle later suffered a flat tyre as a result of the spike.
Police said the motorist and his wife were travelling on the R80 highway in Akasia, north of Pretoria, when they drove over a spike.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the couple stopped to change the tyre when they were accosted by three armed men who fired shots at them.
“The husband shot back and one suspect was hit on the upper body while the other two fled on foot. Members of Flying Squad who were part of Operation O Kae Molao conducted in Akasia and Garankuwa responded promptly and a replica firearm was recovered at the scene, next to the shot suspect who was later certified dead by paramedics,” he said.
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Manhunt launched for suspects
Masondo said police have launched a manhunt for the suspects who escaped from the scene and are warning motorists driving on R80 highway to be cautious, especially when driving at night.
“The police have stabilised the incidents of car spiking in Gauteng roads that were on the increase, especially on the N4 highway and R566. Crime pattern analysis showed that as soon identified hotspots are mitigated with increased visibility of law enforcement and security partners then criminals either change their modus operandi or move to another location,” Masondo said.
He said if motorists suspect that their tyre punctures are a result of having driven over spikes, they must immediately alert the police.
They can do so by calling the SAPS emergency number 10111.
They are also advised to scan their immediate environment and by staying vigilant while changing their tyre but they feel unsafe then they must try to drive to the nearest filling station or a police station.
“In the meantime, 14 suspects who were arrested in October 2020 for terrorising and robbing the community at R80, Theo Martinspoort R89 and the surroundings remain in custody and are expected to start with trial between September and December 2021,” Masondo said.
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