Off-duty cop arrested for robbery while refuelling getaway car

Two men, one a police official, were arrested moments after allegedly robbing a man walking in Jeffreys Bay when their getaway car ran out of fuel.

The policeman, a 26-year-old Constable based at Humansdorp operational command centre (OCC), was nabbed with his 22-year-old accomplice.

Police spokesman Sergeant Majola Nkohli said a man aged 30 had reported being robbed while walking to a friend’s house in Da Gama Street, Jeffreys Bay, at 2am on Tuesday morning.

Nkohli said the man was robbed of money he had won earlier on Monday at a nearby casino.

“The man alleged that while in Jeffreys Street on his way to visit a friend, a black Tata Indigo stopped next to him. The two men jumped out of the vehicle and assaulted him. They stole his money before fleeing the scene in the car,” he said.

“Police were immediately dispatched and the getaway car was spotted in Diaz Road. It appears that they had run out of fuel and went to the nearby petrol station to fill up a container. They were busy pouring the petrol into the car when they were nabbed.”

Nkohli said the two were taken in for questioning and later arrested for robbery. “The official was off-duty and did not have a firearm with him during the alleged incident,” he said.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga said: “It is regrettable and at the same time pleasing to note that a member of the SAPS was among them. This affords us the opportunity to take appropriate action against our own.”

“We wish to reiterate our stance as the SAPS, that there is no place for corrupt or criminal elements in our organisation and this arrest sends a strong message that we will continue to investigate without fear or favour.”

Both will appear in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court for robbery with aggravating circumstances on Wednesday.