Police cornered two suspected thieves inside this shuttered petrol station on Japhta K Masemola Road, in Makhaza, last Friday.
A suspected thief had a brush with death in Makhaza when he leapt from the top of a shuttered petrol station to evade the police.
The incident happened at the BP garage on Japhta K Masemola Road near the Makhaza Shopping Centre last Friday.
The petrol station has been closed since the end of April, according to a vendor who did not want to be named.
A witness, Lubabalo Mkhubeli, said he had seen two men break into the petrol station's convenience store through the roof early on Friday.
The police had arrived while the men had still been inside, and as they had tried to flee one of them had been injured after leaping from the roof of the petrol station, he said.
"He was bleeding profusely and was motionless. He was injured badly. For a second, I thought he was dead. I hoped that he was dead because they are terrorising our community. I live in the area, but the rate of crime is high.“
When Vukani arrived early in the morning the following day, we found what appeared to be blood on the ground.
In a statement, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said responding officers had found two suspects on the roof of the building.
“The suspects then jumped in a bid to flee, and one suspect sustained injuries. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. He is now in custody under police guard at the medical facility. Makhaza police are investigating a theft case. We appeal to anyone with information to please call Crime stop on 08600 10111.”
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