Man shot dead after car theft

TWO alleged car thieves came to a sticky end in Windhoek over the past weekend, with the one shot dead after a car chase near the Police roadblock on the road to Okahandja, and the other hospitalised after overturning a bakkie that he had allegedly stolen elsewhere in the city.

Suspected car thief Mathias Choune (43) died after he was shot three times in the back about two kilometres from the Namibian Police roadblock north of Brakwater on the Windhoek-Okahandja main road at about 23h15 on Friday, a Police spokesperson, Sergeant Stephan Nuuyi, announced yesterday. Choune, allegedly driving a stolen Nissan bakkie, failed to stop at the roadblock.Officers of the Namibian Police and the Windhoek City Police gave chase.The bakkie had allegedly been stolen in the city’s Olympia residential area.Members of the City Police spotted the vehicle in Katutura and followed it, Nuuyi related.He said the City Police alerted Police officers stationed at the Okahandja roadblock, and that they jointly pursued the bakkie.After firing a number of warning shots, the Police officers started shooting at the bakkie, and Choune was hit, he said.The Police have started a murder investigation in connection with the incident, he said.In the early hours of yesterday morning, another car theft allegedly took place at the Windhoek Country Club, Nuuyi added.It is claimed that a Mazda Magnum bakkie, valued at N$75 000, was stolen there between 01h00 and 02h30.The bakkie was later found overturned along the Western Bypass.Yesterday morning the suspected thief was found at the Katutura State Hospital, where he was in a stable condition, Nuuyi said.Choune, allegedly driving a stolen Nissan bakkie, failed to stop at the roadblock.Officers of the Namibian Police and the Windhoek City Police gave chase.The bakkie had allegedly been stolen in the city’s Olympia residential area.Members of the City Police spotted the vehicle in Katutura and followed it, Nuuyi related.He said the City Police alerted Police officers stationed at the Okahandja roadblock, and that they jointly pursued the bakkie.After firing a number of warning shots, the Police officers started shooting at the bakkie, and Choune was hit, he said.The Police have started a murder investigation in connection with the incident, he said.In the early hours of yesterday morning, another car theft allegedly took place at the Windhoek Country Club, Nuuyi added.It is claimed that a Mazda Magnum bakkie, valued at N$75 000, was stolen there between 01h00 and 02h30.The bakkie was later found overturned along the Western Bypass.Yesterday morning the suspected thief was found at the Katutura State Hospital, where he was in a stable condition, Nuuyi said.