An alleged smash-and-grab robber was arrested after two motorists and a man in a break-down truck chased after him as he ran away with a woman's handbag in Pretoria east, Silverton police said on Friday.
Captain Jan Sepato said the man was arrested on Thursday and charged with theft out of a motor vehicle.
It was alleged that a 48-year-old woman was stationary in the traffic on Thursday when her left front window was smashed and a man grabbed her handbag.
"She grabbed it on the other side and they struggled over the bag but he won and ran away towards the N4 direction," Sepato said.
"Two men in the car behind witnessed the incident and ran behind the man. They grabbed the 24-year-old who took out a knife and tried to stab them."
Sepato said the man again ran away but was too fast to be caught and another man in a break-down truck helped the two men and chased after him.
They caught the 24-year-old man again and called police.
Police urged people who had been victims of a smash-and-grab in the Pretoria east area to contact them to help identify the suspect.
"Another man who was waiting for him got away," Sepato said.
The man is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday.
"Police are investigating to see if he is not linked to other similar cases in the area."
Smash-and-grab robber arrested in Pretoria East
An alleged smash-and-grab robber was arrested after two motorists and a man in a break-down truck chased after him as he ran away with a woman's handbag in Pretoria east, Silverton police said on Friday.
Captain Jan Sepato said the man was arrested on Thursday and charged with theft out of a motor vehicle.
It was alleged that a 48-year-old woman was stationary in the traffic on Thursday when her left front window was smashed and a man grabbed her handbag.
"She grabbed it on the other side and they struggled over the bag but he won and ran away towards the N4 direction," Sepato said.
"Two men in the car behind witnessed the incident and ran behind the man. They grabbed the 24-year-old who took out a knife and tried to stab them."
Sepato said the man again ran away but was too fast to be caught and another man in a break-down truck helped the two men and chased after him.
They caught the 24-year-old man again and called police.
Police urged people who had been victims of a smash-and-grab in the Pretoria east area to contact them to help identify the suspect.
"Another man who was waiting for him got away," Sepato said.
The man is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday.
"Police are investigating to see if he is not linked to other similar cases in the area."
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