An eThekwini Metro Police officer was shot dead during a truck hijacking when he attempted to get the vehicle to stop as suspects fled the crime scene.
KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said the officer, Errol George Ogle, was shot dead when he inadvertently tried to stop the truck for driving against the traffic flow on Thursday night.
“It is alleged that a Metro Police officer was on duty when he noticed a truck driving against the traffic.
“The officer instructed the driver to stop. Little did he know that a truck hijacking was in progress,” Netshiunda said.
“Four suspects who were driving a silver polo had hijacked the truck.
“The suspects shot and killed the police officer, and reports indicate that the suspects took the police officer’s vehicle, his firearm and fled the scene. The vehicle was later recovered abandoned on Stapleton Road.”
Ogle, who joined the municipality in 1999, was based at the Queensburgh Metro Police Station.
eThekwini Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, condemned the killing of Ogle, whom he described as “brave”.
He called on law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned to apprehend the culprits so that they face the full might of the law.
“We are saddened by the passing of Inspector Ogle,” he said.
“The rate at which our employees are being gunned down is extremely alarming, and so is the rate of the theft of our municipal vehicles, which exposes our employees to all sorts of danger.”
Kaunda said these types of crime had reached unacceptable levels.
“I want to urge our Metro Police members not to be discouraged by the acts of these heartless criminals. Our officers must continue to fight crime fearlessly and within the ambit of the law.”
