Response officers shot and firearms stolen

THREE armed response officers were robbed and two were shot in three attacks in Port Elizabeth at the weekend.

The latest incident happened shortly before 4.30pm yesterday when an armed response officer was shot in the leg, in Kwazakhele.

Atlas Security operations manager Monty Montgomery said two armed response officers were changing shifts at the time.

“The driver had stopped the car to let the shift driver coming on duty take over.

“As they stopped, a car pulled up and three men got out,” he said.

“Without saying a word, they shot one of the officials in the leg before grabbing his gun and car keys.”

A few minutes earlier, at 4pm, an ADT security officer was robbed of his firearm in New Brighton while attending to an alarm that had gone off.

On Saturday, an armed response officer was shot in the shoulder while fleeing robbers who were attempting to cut open an ATM in New Brighton.

The gang had held the on-site security guard hostage inside a guard hut at the New Brighton Plaza in Dubu Street.

The armed response officer came under a hail of fire while fleeing.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said the on-site security guard had been ambushed at about 10pm and disarmed.

“The suspects tied him up. They spent hours cutting open the [FNB] ATM inside the complex until the [silent] alarm activated at about 3am, and the armed response arrived.”

Montgomery said the robbers opened fire when the officer arrived.

“At least 10 shots hit the driver’s door panel,” he said.

Police raced to the mall after the shooting, but the robbers had fled.

No money was stolen.