A man who expressed interest in buying a truck on Facebook Marketplace is lucky to be alive after he shot and wounded the seller who pointed a firearm at him.
Police in Gauteng say the incident happened in Winterveldt on Monday when the complainant responded to an advert on Marketplace for a truck worth R100 000.
Spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza says the complainant was given a location to meet the seller and upon his arrival, he was approached by two men, one of whom was armed.
The complainant, who was also armed, drew his firearm and shot the armed suspect while his accomplice fled on foot.
According to police, the complainant was assisted by community members who called the police.
The wounded suspect was arrested for attempted armed robbery and the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
He is currently under police guard and will appear in court as soon as he is discharged.
Police urged the public to be vigilant and smart when using online platforms to shop.
Colonel Kweza says transactions should be made in public places and you should never share your banking details or physical address.
He says buyers should check out the personal profiles of the sellers and consider it as a red flag if it was recently created.
Earlier this month, two Gqeberha brothers were shot and killed in Motherwell when they fell victim to a scam perpetrated by people using social media.
Nineteen-year-old Aaron and 30-year-old Kyle Alberts from St Albans had responded to an ad on Marketplace, for a television set.
They were lured under pretences, robbed, and shot to death, while their cell phones, cash, and vehicle were taken during the tragic incident.
The brothers went to a house in Ceru Steet in NU 5 in Motherwell and were informed that no such ad was placed, and the house occupants bore no knowledge of any sale.
About 10 days later, a homeowner advertised a second-hand solar power battery, when three suspects arrived at his house in Mount Pleasant.
The complainant was tied up with shoelaces before his house was ransacked.
When police arrived on the scene one suspect was fatally wounded when he pointed a firearm at an officer.
