LIMPOPO – The provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has hailed the response of an off-duty sergeant whose swift reaction led to the arrest of one suspect following a house robbery at his house.

In a statement, police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the incident happened in the Lukau Tshishive village under the Mutale policing area in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Ledwaba said the sergeant is attached to the Mutale SAPS and was attacked in his home.

“The sergeant and his wife were asleep and were awoken by a loud bang on the door. Three unknown males entered the bedroom and one of them was armed,” his statement read.

The suspects demanded money and cellphones before they ransacked the room and took clothing, footwear, handbags and a wallet with bank cards.

“The suspect who was carrying a firearm shot the sergeant in his shoulder and the other suspects dragged his wife to nearby bushes.”

Ledwaba said the sergeant managed to crawl and get his service pistol and retaliated by firing a shot at the suspect who was left behind in the room.

“The suspect ran out of the house, jumped the fence and disappeared into the bushes. The wife later returned and investigations are unfolding as to what could have happened to her,” he said.

Police searched the nearby bushes following the incident and found a wounded man, believed to be the suspect who was shot in the house.

“The wounded man is a Zimbabwean national and had was in possession of the stolen goods,”

The wounded suspect is expected to appear before the Mutale Magistrate’s Court soon on a charge of attempted murder and house robbery.

Ledwaba said a search operation for the remaining two suspects has been launched.

“Anyone who has information should contact the nearest police station, the toll-free number on 08600 10111 or use the MySapsApp.”