Off-duty cop shoots dead two robbers

Two suspected robbers were shot dead by an off-duty policeman during a house robbery in Walmer Township on Saturday morning.

The police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), has since taken over the case.

The attack happened in Rholihlahla Street at about 4.30am when a gang of at least eight men robbed a couple inside a flatlet behind a house.

At least six suspects escaped during the robbery.

By Sunday afternoon, police were still trying to identify the two men who were killed and track down those who escaped.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said a preliminary investigation revealed that the gang had entered the yard of the house.

“It appears that when they entered the yard, they split up into two smaller groups.

“One group went to the flatlet behind the house and forced open the door where they held a man and his girlfriend at knifepoint,” she said.

“It is unclear what exactly transpired at this stage as the 31-year-old man was stabbed.

“The suspects then grabbed a television and two cellphones before running off.”

Naidu said that during the commotion, the brother of the man, a 36-year-old police sergeant, woke up inside his flatlet on the same property.

“He peeked out the window and saw the suspects outside.

“The suspects threw a brick at the bedroom window and threatened the official.

“The off-duty police sergeant fired several shots as the suspects allegedly attempted to get into the flatlet.”

The suspects fled, dropping the television.

“A short while later, one suspect was found dead at the perimeter gate of the property.

“he television remote was near his body,” Naidu said.

By 8am, police found a second man dead about 200m from the scene of the robbery.

“It is believed the second man was one of the suspects in the robbery.

“A cellphone believed to have been stolen was found near his body,” she said.