Stock Image Fidelity ADT
Police in Gqeberha are investigating a burglary at the Sunridge Village Shopping Centre on Wednesday which resulted in shots being fired during peak morning traffic.
According to multiple sources, suspects robbed a cell phone store in the Centre and upon fleeing the scene they were confronted by a Fidelity ADT officer who responded swiftly.
The Group Head of Communications and Marketing at Fidelity Charnel Hattingh confirmed to Algoa FM News that one of their vehicles had been hijacked and used as a getaway car.
She says as the suspects ran out of the cell phone shop, their Armed Response Officer exited his vehicle and chased after one of the suspects.
Hatting says his two accomplices, however, jumped into his vehicle, ignoring the officer's instructions to get out and stand down.
She says the officer fired shots in an attempt to stop them but they started the car and managed to flee the scene.
Two suspects fled on foot.
Fidelity ADT, along with the K9 unit found the vehicle, abandoned in New Brighton.
Hatting says they are still assisting the police.
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg says a case of theft of motor vehicle has been opened as well as housebreaking.
She confirmed that four suspects forced open the door of a cell phone shop in the Centre and grabbed phones and laptops.
Janse van Rensburg says the Centre's guard knew there would be security officers nearby and ran to the next-door garage where he found a response vehicle.
She says when the suspect noticed the car they dropped all their goods and ran, it was then that another response officer, parked across the road saw three of the men running towards him.
Janse van Rensburg says the officer chased one of the men and managed to grab hold of him when two of his accomplices' noticed he had left the keys in the ignition.
All suspects remain at large.
(This article has been updated with comments from police).
