Police blow their own trumpet after band members put brakes on 'hijacker'

Police top brass had good reason to blow their own trumpet over the arrest of an armed alleged hijacker by two off-duty police band members after a high-speed car chase in Cape Town.

The 23-year-old suspect met his match while trying to escape in a speeding black Ford Fiesta while being pursued by a City of Cape Town law enforcement officer along Spine Road. 

Two off-duty members of the Western Cape Police Band, driving home after performing at the quarterly provincial sport day in Pinelands on Wednesday, saw the chase unfolding and “placed themselves on duty and chased down the suspect’s vehicle”, police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said on Friday.

“In desperation to evade the members, the suspect lost control, hitting the curb of the road and deflating three of the four tyres, preventing him from continuing.

“He disembarked the vehicle and fled on foot, with sergeants Wayne Snyders and Andrea Sinclair close on his heels.

“Before the suspect could reach the residential area and disappear, Sgt Snyders caught up and apprehended him.

“Sgt Sinclair discovered the object the suspect threw away while being chased on foot was a firearm and ammunition.” 

A 9mm pistol and 13 rounds of ammunition were recovered in the street.    

It was established that the Ford Fiesta had been hijacked earlier in Mitchells Plain.

The suspect faces charges related to possession of presumably stolen property, possession of a prohibited firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. He will appear in the Kuils River magistrate’s court once charged.

Police management lauded the pair for going the extra mile by putting themselves on duty and in harm’s way. 

TimesLIVE