Two alleged perly thieves tried to make a quick buck by hijacking an abalone truck in Durbanville yesterday.
But wakker security guards guarding the perly, also known as black gold, spotted their move and opened fire, injuring the two suspects.
Police said yesterday the investigation is now being handled by the Hawks.
A source at the scene says the men arrived in a silver Audi A4 and after they were shot, they sped off to Fisantekraal, where cops arrested them.
“It looks like they didn’t know the abalone truck was being escorted by private security guards when they tried to hijack it,” the source says.
“One of them was shot in the head and the other one in his side.
“They shot one of the security guards in the chest.
“Durbanville police and the security guards followed them to a house in Tambo Street in Fisantekraal where they found them bleeding and heavily wounded.
“Police dogs tracked their silver Audi down at the Fisantekraal train station. It belongs to a Chinese national.”
“It appears it was a planned move because the skelms followed the truck who was making deliveries to businesses along the M19 highway.”
Police spokesman, Captain FC van Wyk, confirms the incident but didn’t want to divulge too many details as the matter was being investigated.
“This office confirms that an incident took place on the M19 today. At this stage Melkbosstrand SAPS are investigating an attempted murder case and is still ongoing and very sensitive,” Van Wyk explains.
“Therefore this office cannot elaborate further on this matter. We can confirm a truck carrying abalone was involved and a security guard was wounded.”
Van Wyk confirmed the investigation is now being handled by the Hawks.
The name of the company transporting the abalone is also being withheld.
Last week Friday cops arrested 17 people in Milnerton at a larney house in Erica Street where they confiscated perlemoen and shark fins with an estimated street value of R5.5 million.