Shots fired and thieves pursued in ‘wild Westville’ incidents

Shots were fired during an armed robbery at a Westville shopping centre this afternoon, possibly injuring one of the gang as they fled the scene of the crime.
Blue Security community and media liaison officer Andreas Mathios said the gang of five armed robbers, all wearing baseball caps, walked into the mall at around noon. “They held up staff in a jewellery shop and fled with jewellery, firing as many as seven shots that hit store windows and the glass entrance doors of the centre, as they made their getaway,” Mathios said.
“An off duty policeman fired two shots at the suspects as they fled the scene before police gave chase and arrested two of the suspects. There was blood found on the floor which appears to be from one of the suspects that managed to get away. No staff or shopping centre patrons were injured during the incident,” Mathios said.
Westville SAPS attended the scene of the crime.
In a separate incident in Cowies Hill this afternoon, a Blue Security armed response officer arrested an alleged burglar who had stolen light fittings from a property in Old Main Road in the early hours of the morning. “The resident had awoken to see the suspects stealing the light fittings from the property but they managed to flee the scene, only to be spotted walking along the road later on in the day.”
Mathios said the resident was driving home after going out to buy new light fittings to replace the stolen goods when he recognised the two suspects. “He immediately asked our armed response officer who was standing down in the neighbourhood to assist him in chasing down the suspects. One of the suspects managed to get away, but our officer arrested his accomplice and handed him over to the police,” Mathios said.
Mathios said the suspect is believed to possibly be connected to additional housebreaking and thefts at the property.
Yesterday a Cowies Hill woman was strangled by robbers during a traumatising home invasion.