Six teenagers arrested after stealing a taxi and fleeing from police

Six teenagers, aged between 17 and 19, were arrested over the weekend after they allegedly stole a taxi. After being spotted by the police they fled from law enforcement officers, but were ultimately arrested. They are expected to make their first court appearance in the Walvis Bay magistrates court today.

According to deputy commissioner Erastus Iikuyu, regional crime investi-gations coordinator for Erongo, the incident occurred on Saturday at about midnight. The suspects used an unknown object to break into the taxi, a silver Toyota Corolla with registration N1707WB. The vehicle was parked in Lepelaar Street in Tutaleni. They managed to start the vehicle and drove off.
During the same day at about 4:00 the vehicle was spotted by members of the police. The officers attempted to stop the driver, but the driver ignored the police officers and instead sped off. The officers chased the car around town. At the Puma Service Station in Kuisebmond the driver stopped the vehicle and fled the scene with two other suspects. “We arrested three more suspects at the scene,” Iikuyu confirmed.
The driver as well as the other two suspects, who fled the scene, were arrested on the same day in Kuisebmond. All six suspects are in custody. The value of the vehicle is estimated at N$57 000. Two of the suspects were found with car keys in their possession the investigator believes were used to steal the car.