Ongwediva
A 22-year-old burglar was shot dead and another seriously injured at a shebeen near Ongwediva during a break-in on Thursday morning.
Deputy Commissioner Karel Theron of the Oshana Regional Police confirmed the incident that took place early in the morning. The thieves were trying to break into a bar at Oshinyadhila village in the Ongwediva area and were shot by one of the owners.
Four men broke into Oshipukupuku bar while the owners were asleep in a room in the same building.
The wife heard some noises and she woke up her husband.
The husband then went outside with his pistol and discovered the lights in the bar were on and a group of people whispering inside.
“He asked who was inside his bar, but when they heard him, they cocked a gun. He (the owner) then fired some shots, and shot two of them. One of them died on the spot and another one was seriously injured,” explained Theron.
Police found a loaded pistol, two knives, a bolt cutter and a crowbar at the scene. One of the knives and a magazine were found on the deceased and the injured suspect. Prior to the robbery at Oshinyadhila, the same gang allegedly used their vehicle to jam another vehicle at a bar at Oshoopala location in Oshakat. The bar attendant informed the car owner but the thieves wrestled with him when he confronted them about blocking his car and fled with his pistol and two DStv decoders.
This was the same pistol found at the break-in at Oshinyadhila.
“The people in Oshana are fed up with these criminals. Criminals should know that people are on the side of the police,” said Theron. Theron advised community members not to go after criminals when they break into their properties as they could be extremely dangerous as they do not respect human life.
The two remaining suspects are still on the run.
In a related development Nampa reported on Thursday that thieves often target jackpot machines and jukeboxes when they break into businesses such as bars.