Durban – A suspect who was run over by the woman whose bag he had snatched at a boom gate is expected in court on Thursday.

On Wednesday, a woman who was exiting a mall in the Bluff and stopped at a boom gate was approached by two suspects who snatched her handbag before fleeing.

Two videos, CCTV footage, of the incident have gone viral on social media since the incident.

In the first video, the woman is seen approaching a boom gate in her Toyota Tazz, stops and the two suspects approach her.

The woman appears to have opened her door in order to reach the ticket booth. The suspects open her door more and snatch her handbag and flee towards a white Toyota Etios coming from a service station.

One suspect climbs into the back of the Etios while the one with the bag runs on the road and towards the front of the service station.

The woman drives her car through the boom gate and follows the suspect who’s on foot while the suspects in the Etios also flee in the same direction.

In the second video, the suspect on foot is seen running in front of the service station with the Tazz behind him which then runs him over and leaves him on the road.

The Etios speeds off, leaving its accomplice squirming on the road.

Interestingly, there was a Brighton Beach SAPS police vehicle at the service station at the time of the incident.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said Brighton Beach police are investigating a case of robbery following an incident in which a 43-year-old woman was robbed by two suspects.

“The complainant alleged that she was driving her vehicle out of the mall when two suspects opened the door, grabbed her handbag and ran away. She drove the vehicle and allegedly knocked the suspect who was in possession of her handbag. The handbag was recovered,” Gwala said.

“A 28-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and will appear in court on Thursday, September 28, 2023.”

Reacting to the incident, Facebook users called for the woman to be given a Bell’s, similar to the famous advert from years ago.

Nombuso Mathetha said: “I saw it live yesterday, give a lady a Bell’s, she's so brave.”

Andy Mahabeer said: “Give that lady a Bell’s!... Or a case!”

Preacher Hlophe said: “I need the address of the Tazz driver. I need to send her a bottle of Bell’s.”

Gavin John Harris said he was a bit concerned that the boom gates had created an opportunity for robbers – you have to open your window or door to open the boom gate – maybe a guard should be posted there or an alternative way to open the boom gates without needing to open your window or door, he suggested

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Daily News