‘Bourne Identity-type’ car chase in central Dundee following ATM scam
Passers-by thought a movie was being shot in Dundee this morning
A hectic car chase, akin to scenes from the Matt Damon movie ‘Bourne Identity’, saw chaotic scenes in central Dundee this morning following an ATM scam at the Dundee Boulevard Centre.
Former Dundee detective, Brian Gray and friend, Hendrik van Graan, had come to town from the Helpmekaar district at around 10am, to draw money. Hennie was in the queue at the FNB ATM and when he got to the machine and inserted his card, another man reached out from behind him to press buttons. Hennie slapped his hand away but when he pressed the cancel button, his card remained in the machine.
Another man in the queue said he saw the man who had pressed the buttons make his way to a white Polo. Brian and Hendrik immediately followed in their blue Polo and the chase was on.
The chase went up and down Karel Landman Street, Union Street to the traffic lights at the Road Testing Station, with Brian performing some of his advanced driving manoeuvres he learned while still a policeman in a bid to cut off the conman.
The chase carried on to the FNB corner with passersby running for cover to avoid the racing car
Brian said the white Polo driver soon realised he not going to shake off his pursuer easily.
‘He did a U-turn at the last traffic lights and raced back into town. I was right behind and saw two marked police vans and I hooted and shouted at them but unfortunately, they never bothered to assist.”
The chase carried on to the FNB corner with passersby running for cover to avoid the racing cars. Eventually, the driver – who Brian thinks is not familiar with Dundee – ended up on Ann Street, which is a dead end past Talana Sub Acute Clinic.
“I had him cornered but he then came racing towards my car. The right back of his car hit the right front of my car. I had nothing else on me except a pair of pliers. That’s when I smashed it into the driver’s window – the plies also hit the driver. But he raced off. I saw there were three men and a woman in the car.”
Brian reported the matter to the police and an alert has been sent out for the white Polo. It was discovered that the registration number is that of a Mercedes Benz. Brian suffered a cut ear when his car was hit and his head slammed into the driver’s arch. Hendrik said a total of R8000 had been withdrawn from his account and he had reported the matter to the bank.